Hidden Currents
by Sunruner
Summary: An ancient Lemurian Prophecy has begun to unfold, and Piers is caught in the middle. With so much going on as the GS crew is faced with losing a keymember, will two realize what they mean to each other? COMPLETE
1. You Never See Them

**Hidden Currents**

You Never Even See Them

The waves in the Sea of Time smashed into the side of the Lemurian ship, forcing the vessel against the rocks.

"Felix!" Sheba cried as she watched the on-rush of water sweep her friend's feet out from under him. Felix was slammed into the side rail of the ship by the power forcing the ship off its path. He had less than a moment to collect himself before another wave smashed into them; the force of which almost sent the Earth Adept over-board.

Garet's hand shot out and grabbed Felix by the scruff of the neck, And steadied his friend as the ship continued to heave in the roiling sea. Ivan and Sheba hung onto the side of the Cabin beside Kraden who was vainly attempting to pull open the door which refused to budge for the old scholar.

Mia, Piers and Jenna were all on the other side and attempting to let the others in. Sheba could here Piers throwing himself at the door repeatedly whilst Mia and Jenna attempted to break the seals that locked the door during storms.

Lightning forked through the sky. Illuminating a rocky shoal in the direction the current was pulling them.

"The wheel!" Felix cried as the rain spattering against his face. Without Felix to stop it, the wheel was spinning madly, allowing the current to gain full control of the ship. The dragonhead carved at the bow of the vessel arched widely; The boat gaining speed with yet another monster wave.

"Rocks ahead in the current!" Sheba cried out over the wind. Yet another wave collided with the ship. The water pouring over the already slick deck made it impossible for Felix to get back to the tiller.

Isaac took advantage of the slick deck to slide down through the water and grab the wheel. The force of the waves and current made it near impossible for Isaac to stop the wheel on his own, so he forced his knee under one of the rungs to help take the load.

"Garet! Felix!" He shouted over the wind. Another wave rammed them again, the ship gaining speed as the frame groaned alarmingly. Isaac's face was white from the strain of keeping the wheel still on his own.

Garet was trying vainly to get to Isaac. But each time he or Felix made it a few steps closer, the vessel would lurch again and send both careening in to the rail again. Kraden, seeing the rocks as well, increased his efforts with the door as Ivan yelled through the window.

"Jenna, Mia, Piers! Forget getting it open! Hack through it if you have to! Just get out here!" The boat heaved again as the hull scraped against smaller rocks. Some peaking through the waves and seemed to close off one side of the current from them. Ivan, unprepared this time, was launched into the air. Sheba flung out her arm without thinking and grabbed his hand.

Ivan landed on the deck with a loud _smack_ and was soaked even more than before as another wave brought water over his head were he lay. Ivan shook his blonde head as he scrambled to his feet and grabbed onto one of the ropes hanging on the side of the cabin.

'_Those are just the small rocks that don't even break the water's surface!'_ Sheba thought franticly as yet another wave rammed them.

Another bolt of lightning showed the shoal much closer than it had been before. Felix and Garet threw themselves at Isaac as the ship leaned to one side in preparation for the next wave. All three had, by now, noticed the shoal and were attempting to free the ship from the current; the waves continuing to force the vessel into the center of the fast water.

Sheba wiped her pale hair from her eyes as the ship slanted dangerously to one side and a wave larger then the previous ones smashed into them. Sheba kept a death-grip on the rope outside the cabin as barrels and supplies not tied down were all thrown into the churning waters and a small pot crashed through the cabin window.

As the ship righted it self, part of Sheba's mind reasoned that they would probably lose half their hearing if they lived through this. But the thought was only half-formed as she got her first good look at the shoal.

The current that they were trapped in seemed to lead straight into the center of the shoal. Rocky spires jutted out in all directions in a horseshoe shape. In the center the waves created churning white foam surrounded by tooth-like spikes. If they got pulled in completely, they'd all drown…

"Enough of this!" She heard Piers shout out as a flash of red blasted through the door before taking the shape of Cannon and then sped back inside.

Piers wasted no time in dashing out the still-smoking door before them though, charging towards the wheel. Aquamarine hair flashed an electric blue in a thunderbolt, the stiff material of his captain's vest snapping around him as his booted feet seemed a part of the deck. There was an unrecognizable intensity which flashed behind his golden eyes before he was already speeding towards the wheel; oblivious of the rain and heaving deck. Mia's arm reached out through the dark doorway and pulled them all in before the ship could lurch itself around again.

Sheba's world was spinning as she found her back against the soaked inner wall of the main cabin. The small room was in shambles and Jenna had a cut on the side of her head that she wasn't paying much attention to.

"Quickly!" Mia shouted over the crash of the waves, "Get ready to use the wings!" Kraden gave her a quizzing look, as though the storm around them were for the moment forgotten.

"We don't even know where we are!" He yelled as the ship lunged forwards in the water. Outside, Garet lost his grip and was washed away from the wheel, his shouts of alarm catching the old scholar's attention, but not before he could look back at Mia. "The last time we came to the Sea of Time that shoal was not on route!" He continued, his voice already hoarse from shouting.

Wind hissed thought the broken window as Mia and Jenna simply glared at him. Just as Jenna was about to say something however, flashes of blue light began to thread through the panels of the ship, something none of them had ever seen before. Piers was already pouring his psynergy into the wings as he grabbed the rungs, and soon there was the noticeable hum of energy in the vessel as the others outside were adding their own strength. Mia's gaze was hard as she met Kraden's

"_You_ may not know were we are, Kraden," She said as Sheba got up and ran to the window to see the others at the wheel. They all started urging their power into the ship to ready the wings.

"But Piers has been sailing these seas for far longer than you." Mia's next words were lost to Sheba as, with another flash of lightning, she was able to see individual spires and hurriedly began forcing even more power into the vessel. There was a loud, protesting creak of wood and metal, the hum picking up to form an aura of energy around the ship, though it provided no protection from the storm.

"I am the master of this ship!" Piers shouted as the blue rings around him grew into a solid wall of psynergy. Sheba could see Garet gapping at the Lemurian as the Fire Adept focused on the wings as well as not being thrown over-board.

Sheba's brow furrowed as she concentrated all her energy on making to wings work. _'It's never been this hard before…'_ she thought as they refused to budge, the creaks and goans growing louder as though something were batting back their efforts. _'Why isn't it working?'_

Sheba gasped as another giant wave came up from behind them, forcing the ship forwards so that even the bed and table were thrown towards the bow. Isaac's strength gave out and he was flung forwards, bringing Felix with him. The two smashed into the wall, leaving Piers to hold the ship on his own.

As if in preparation for their ship, that water drained from the center of the shoal. Nestled in the heart among the sharp spires was a large smooth stone. The rock wasn't what caught her attention though, it was the three spokes perfect for tearing through the wooden hulls of ships that was revealed as the water seeped away. The three spokes that were connected to a trident.

Sheba screamed as the ship slanted even further, the frame groaning loudly so that she was sure they were going to snap in two. As the others were thrown against her, from behind, Sheba heard Piers shout above the waves,

"And Poseidon will not have her yet!" there was a large flash of psynergy, and everything went black for Sheba.


	2. But They're Always There

**Chapter 2**

But they're always there. 

When Mia came to, the ship was no longer being tossed around in the waves. The air hung heavily, and the only real source of light came from the small lamp in the far corner of the room. Though she could still hear the distant howl of the winds, the waters seemed fairly calm.

_'I wonder where we are.'_ She thought dimly. As Mia sat up slightly her vision blurred, forcing her back down. Her head was pounding and she had drained her psynergy to much to think about ply. Placing her hand on the back of her head, she felt a damp spot and groaned slightly.

Mia heard a rustling off in the shadows and felt her mouth dry. Squeezing her eyes shut and trying to lie as still as possible to feign sleep, her heart was pounding. The last thing they needed was an attack now. As the figure moved closer though, she felt a hand against her cheek.

"Mia, are you all right?" Piers asked, his voice low and almost raspy in the silence of the room.

Mia felt her face turn three lovely shades of red, and was thankful for the dim light as she nodded slightly. _'You've been spending _**way**_ too much time with Gel if you're mind instantly jumps to an attack...'_ She thought accusingly.

"You don't look so good, Mia," He said. Looking back at him, Mia blushed even more as she tried to sit up again. Once more, her vision blurred and Piers helped ease her back down.

Reaching into his pocket, the other Adept pulled out the small Spirit Ring he kept with him, a thin band of silver to delicate for daily wear, and crowned with a flawless blue gem, the size of an apple seed. Placing it in her hand, there was a small pulse of magic as Mia felt the small cut in the back of her head heal and the magic push away the dizziness. Mia smiled gratefully as she pushed back the blanket that had been covering her and sat up straighter. As she got her first good look at the room though, she couldn't help but gasp.

The small windows were shattered as well as the few pots that had decorated the tiny space, littering the floor with shards. One of the chairs was smashed beyond repair. The table and bed were turned over and the mattress from the bed torn and spewing feathers everywhere. Mia also noticed the others all laying on the floor, seemingly asleep.

Garet was most defiantly just asleep. Lying on his stomach with his head to one side, the large Mars-Adept had his mouth wide open and was snoring loudly. Ivan was sitting-up against the wall, also asleep as he kept murmuring under his breath and nodding slightly while dreaming. Isaac was on the lower section of that cabin with Kraden who was sawing driftwood by the over-turned table. Jenna and Felix were both lying on the floor. Jenna sighed and rolled over, accidentally kicking her brother in the leg a few times, making the Venus-adept reach out and shove her. Neither one aware of what they were doing.

Mia tried not to laugh as siblings kept trading small shoves and kicks. Piers, following her gaze, smiled before leaning down.

"It took me forever too get used to that when we were traveling along Southern Gondowan." He said quietly, "Luckily for you four, we learned not to let them sleep on the same side of the fire before we met up with you." He finished, Mia smiling and stifling a giggle. Straightening back up, the Mariner winced slightly and placed his arm around his mid-section. Mia perked up at the movement, but he shook off her attention.

"It's nothing," He whispered as he got to his feet and gestured for her to follow. Mia got up and followed him down the steps towards the door that led down to the lower decks.

"Where are we going?" She asked him as he closed the door softly behind them.

"I haven't seen any of the Djinn since I got everyone inside, I think we should try and find them." He answered, absently turning his head down one of the various corridors which riddled the lower decks.

Walking around, the two found so many weak spots in the ship that even Piers was a little green at the amount of water collecting in the lower rooms. But the Lemurian kept on re-assuring Mia that it was so slow and that they were close enough to the city that it wasn't worth worrying over.

They stumbled across extra blankets and a few more medical supplies, as well as food to replace the stores that had been thrown over-board in the storm. But still there were no Djinn.

Peeking into one of the storerooms though, Mia flung herself against the hall wall to avoid being smothered by the sixty-something spirits which spewed out and attached themselves to Piers, each chattering madly.

"Are we there yet?"

"What happened?"

"What was that flash?"

"Are you hurt?"

"What about the other's?"

"Flint kept stepping on my tail!"

"Sleet was making cruel jokes about the ship going down!"

"Was not!"

"Were too!"

"Sleet and Corona kept arguing the whole time!"

"No we weren't!"

"Yes we were."

"Where's Felix?"

"Yeah, and Ivan and Sheba to!"

"Forget them! Where's Isaac?"

"No! Jenna! Jenna!"

"…Mia, I'm hungry."

Relief at finding them all made the two Mercury adepts laugh. Piers though wrapped one arm around his stomach again, wincing in pain. The Mercury Djinn swarmed around him, Shade and Spring incredibly worried.

"Piers? Piers what's wrong?" Shade cooed, scorpion-like tail twitching madly as the fist-sized water sprite clambered up the Mariner's side before clinging to his belt, looking up at him with luminous golden eyes.

"Mia what's wrong with him?" Spring asked worriedly as he doubled over, and backed up against the wall, Shade flinging off of him to be caught by Mia. She literally watched the color leech from his face, his mouth twisted in a look of pain as he shuddered slightly.

"I-I don't know!" She stuttered, stunned by the change of events. "Piers? Piers!" She cried as she saw blood seeping through his shirt. "Oh, Neptune..." She breathed as he slid down to the floor. She instantly rushed over and while busy trying to get his jacket open, calling to the Djinn.

"Flint and Iron, go and get the extra bandages from up in the cabin. Fog, you and Blitz go with them and fetch some water. Hurry, you four!" The Djinn sped off in a flurry of squeaks and shrieks just as Garet and Isaac stumbled down the hall.

"Mia?" Garet asked surprised, his tongue and words still thick from sleep as he brought on monster hand up to rub his own crimson eyes, "What're you two-"

"Get him up-stairs!" She shouted, cutting him off. Isaac stood for a moment, confused, but when he saw the blood now staining Mia's hands, he snapped out of it and gave Garet a shove to get his friend going.

Carefully, the two adepts lifted their injured friend and carried him up the stairs, Mia and the Djinn following close behind. As they came into the cabin, they ran into the other Djinn Mia had sent up.

"What?" Felix muttered tiredly as he turned over and shook his sister. He'd only just been roused to a state of half-conciousness as Piers had been brought up and set down against one of the walls. The jolt had caused him to cry out in pain. "Wake up." He said roughly as he gave Jenna another shove, she however just rolled over and muttered under her breath.

Mia ignored the two as she undid the last of the ties. Pulling up Piers' shirt she gasped. The Mercury Adept had three stab wounds in his stomach, each spilling frightening amounts of blood. Isaac gagged at the site and backed away. Garet just stood there dumbly.

"It looks like he was stabbed with the trident!" the burly adept exclaimed as Mia put her hands over the wounds. Summoning what power she had regained since waking up, Mia focused on her patient;

"Pure Ply" She murmured, blue rings of psynergy surrounding her as she summoned the magic she had used hundreds of times before on there travels; had used to heal wounds far worse than this. Small lights, like motes of dust, fluttered around Piers as Mia pressed her magic into him.

She felt the sudden awareness that came with Healing, the knowledge over every ache and pain the injured person felt. She noticed that he felt no pain but for the bloody stab-wounds, the others had all been wiped away by the Spirit Ring. She was shocked though to find that the wound felt like it was growing! Like whatever had made the wound was still being pushed in deeper.

_'But he used the Spirit Ring.'_ She thought_ 'I was with him I _saw_ him use it! Why doesn't it feel like anything was done to the stabs?'_ she shook her head as she focused more on the center of the injury. Mia felt something odd pulling at her though, like she was coming towards a vortex. The injury just seemed to absorb her magic.

_'What? What's going-'_

"Don't." Piers choked, reaching up he grabbed her wrist. "Y-You can't heal this, Mia," He stuttered as Mia stopped the magic.

"But, Piers," She started. The Lemurian just shook his head.

"I-it won't kill me, don't worry." He said, forcing a smile. Mia immediately reached over and grabbed a hand-full of bandages. At his confused look she felt a small flare of anger.

"I'm not going to let you go around Lemuria bleeding everywhere." She said simply. "Let me clean and bandage you." Piers didn't argue, just did what she said as she gently cleared away the blood.

Isaac still looked worried as he walked around picking up the bits of glass Piers had missed. The others were also up by now, Felix had forced Jenna up and he and Garet were trying to get the table out of the notch it had crammed itself into. Jenna was sitting on the floor complaining about the floor being hard and how her back hurt. While Ivan and Sheba were out on deck with Kraden looking over the damage.

"Why didn't you let me take a look at you before." Mia said as she tied off the layers of gauze. Sitting up she looked him in the eye and glared at him. "What kind of idiot walks around with a whole in him?" she continued, poking the bandages to put more emphasis on her words. Piers flinched as she did so before looking off to one side slightly.

"I didn't tell you I was hurt because I _wasn't_." He said. Garet and Felix looked over at him as Mia's temper sparked.

"What do you mean you weren't hurt? You collapsed in the hallway! Honestly, Piers, I thought that you of all people would know when—"

"Piers, you must have been hit on the head one too many times if that doesn't count as an injury." Garet said, cutting her off. Felix just cocked a questioning eyebrow as he set his side of the table down.

"Never knew you were one to brag, Piers." The Venus-adept said as moved away and picked Jenna up off the floor.

"Hey!" She cried, struggling and flailing her arms around. "Put me down you big mute!" Felix just ginned slightly.

"You look tired; a nice dip should cool you off." Jenna's eyes went wide as her brother proceeded to carry her out on deck.

"No! _No!_" She shouted as he disappeared out the door. The others inside laughed a bit, Piers placing a hand over his stomach as he felt another twinge of pain. Mia began fussing about him again, and the Djinn started bombarding him with questions.

"So what happened after that flash, Piers?" Mist asked, bouncing up and down beside Mia.

"Forget what happened after." Gel said. "What was the flash, period?"

"Uh, well… it might have been umm…"

"How far are we from the city?" Ivan interrupted as he and Sheba came inside. The Jupiter-adept was talking to Kraden, but it caught the attention of the others in the room. Piers gave a small sigh of relief.

Jenna gave a yelp outside as there was a splash. Felix called out too.

"I'd say we're only a few minutes from the dock." Kraden answered as he folded his arms in thought. He was completely ignoring the two siblings while Sheba giggled into her hand. "but there's quiet a bit of damage to the ship, we won't be able to move without clearing some of it away first." Kraden, then seeing Piers on the floor and bandaged, brought his attention to the Lemurian.

"So, what happened in here?" He asked. Piers looked uncomfortable again,

"Piers got stabbed with the Trident in the hall-way!" Spring shouted out, bouncing up and down like Mist. Kraden's eyes went wide as Mia noticed Piers look almost pleadingly at Shade.

"Yah!" Shade said, oblivious of Piers. "He got stabbed just like it said in the-!" Mia was taken aback as a column of ice shot up, rocketing the poor Djinni to Piers who then and clamped Shade's mouth shut.

"That's enough." He said hoarsely as Shade, careful of the bandages, squirmed around trying to get away. Unfortunately for the Lemurian, everyone had perked up at Shade's out-burst. Especially Kraden.

"Just like it said _in what_ exactly?" He asked, adjusting his spectacles to take a closer look at Piers. Mia noticed that Kraden was wearing his: "If you don't tell me now I'll never leave you alone." smile, and covered her mouth with one hand.

"Uhh…" Piers said as he tried to come up with something to say, Shade was still squirming, but not getting anywhere.

"I-it's nothing really," He said, with a phony smile. "just an old Legend in Lemuria that these two picked up." He nodded to Shade and Spring, "It's nothing important, too old to mean anything."

"Isn't that what people say about Lemuria?" Isaac asked, leaning on the table and absently fumbling with the yellow length of his scarf.

"And the Elemental Rocks?" Ivan seconded.

"That's what the people near Gaia and Aqua Rocks said about the powers there too." Sheba said.

"And let us not forget Poseidon and the Trident itself." Kraden finished, looking pointedly at where Piers had been stabbed. Mia noticed Piers swallow nervously.

"But this really is just a _legend_." He protested, "I was jabbed when I was trying to get Felix inside and the Trident caught me in the doorway, there were blades everywhere, I almost though I saw one go overboard." Mia, knowing that he'd lost a lot of blood, chose then to intervene.

"I think he's a bit to tired to be answering questions don't you think, Kraden?" She asked calmly. "Sailing through that storm all night then being wounded today." She turned to face Piers, her expression hard. "What you need now is to get in bed and rest." She stated, her tone leaving no room for argument. Piers just blinked a few times before her words seemed to sink in.

"That does seem like a good idea," He said in agreement, although still a tad dazed. He let Shade go and let the small spirit shoot up and down to the lower decks.

A soaking Jenna stomped into the cabin as Garet and Isaac were helping Piers up. Her auburn hair was bristling like a cat's tail and she looked ready to snap at anything that moved. An equally wet Felix followed her.

"The idea was just to scare you into getting up." Felix was saying. "You didn't have too squirm so much that we both fell off the boat." Jenna didn't reply as she just stomped down the stairs past Piers.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Piers gave a small start at the light tap at the door; Shade jumped up and kicked it open so he didn't need to get up.

"Hi, Mia." The Djinni said politely as the Mercury-Adept poked her head inside. When she spotted Piers still half-asleep on the bed, she smiled slightly and made her way inside. In her hands she held a tray with a bowl of soup and bread, as well as some more ointments and fresh bandages. As she set the tray down by the bed Piers seemed to wake up a bit more and sat up.

"That wasn't very nice, you know." He said as she handed him some lunch.

"What wasn't?" She asked innocently.

"Spiking my drink like that too get me to sleep." He replied, nodding his head towards the clay mug beside the tray, its contents cold. Mia just smiled as she picked up a handful of fresh bandages from the tray.

"It's not like I haven't done the very same thing to Isaac and the others at one point in time you know." She said as Piers set his half-eaten food aside and helped her undo the wrappings.

Piers cringed as the strips came off and pulled on the scabbed wounds. Biting his lip as Mia began applying ointments to them.

"They're almost done up there, you know." She said, noticing his expression. "We should be moving in a little while. Then you can get back inside Lemuria again."

"Yes, it'll be nice to see my uncle again." He said, biting back a sharp yelp as her fingers moved over one of the stabs, taking off a small amount of dry blood and causing more to start seeping out.

Mia moved quickly to re-wrap the bandages. Once she was done she went over to the small basin in the room and washed her hands before coming back and giving him back his lunch. As he settled back against the head-board though he noticed an odd look in her eyes, like she was debating something.

"Is something wrong, Mia?" He asked curiously.

"Hmm?" She replied, as if she hadn't expected a question.

"You look like something's bothering you." He said. "Is there something troubling you?" Mia looked away for a moment, worrying her bottom lip.

"Yes, actually." She said, coming forward she sat down on the foot of the bed and looked him in the eye, sapphire on gold. "Why couldn't I heal you?" She asked.

"What?" He asked, blinking slightly

"I used Pure Ply on you and it did nothing, Piers." She replied, getting up again. "And I want to know why." Piers had a forgotten spoonfull of soup half-way to his mouth as he looked up at her. Setting it down, he just looked at her and shrugged.

"I'd answer if I could, Mia, but I honestly don't know." He answered.

"But you'll ask Hydrous right, Piers?" Spring chirped. Mia turned around to look at the Djinni, so didn't see the glare Piers shot the spirit, clearly saying _'One more word and you're dead.'_ Spring jumped slightly and stopped talking, Shade in the corner chuckled slightly.

"Talk to Hydros about what, Piers?" Mia asked, turning back to face him. Piers wiped his expression blank.

"All I have planned too talk to Hydros about is our quest. And maybe catch up on what's been happening in my absence." He said. The ship lurched slightly as it began to sway rhythmically in the water surrounding it once more. Piers looked at her, smiling slightly,

"And it seems like you four will be seeing Lemuria for the first time in just a short while." Mia just smiled at him as she picked up the used bandages, as well as the try and empty dishes, and walked out.

**-------------------------------------------------------------------- **

Everyone was up on deck as Felix steered the ship in between the wharfs in the Lemurian port. Piers looked over and saw Isaac, Garet, Mia and Ivan looking excited as he tied the mooring lines securely so that the current wouldn't pull the ship away while they were in the city.

As they walked down the ramp the excitement caught on to the rest of the party. Kraden was the most enthusiastic at the prospect of seeing ancient Lemuria again, while Sheba started telling Ivan and Isaac about Lunpa and how he had come to Lemuria with Babi.

"So what are you looking forward to most, Piers?" Piers jumped at Mia's voice and almost tripped over the half-hidden tiles, grass and dirt covering most of them after centuries of inactivity. Straightening his head-dress he saw Mia trying not to laugh.

"I catch you off guard?" She asked smiling.

"Ha ha, very funny." Piers replied as they began passing small torches in the passage. "Honestly I'm just looking forward to a good meal and seeing my uncle again." He said. Jenna appeared to have heard his comment about food and looked back,

"If my cooking's so bad, no one made you eat it, Piers." She said. Garet looked at his friend and tsk'ed, mocking Kraden's lecturing voice.

"Now, now, Piers." The big adept said. "You shouldn't be so rude to poor Jenna. She tries so very hard to make her stew tastes like mush." Even Jenna laughed as she tried to smack Garet with her staff. As the excitement died down though, Mia turned back to Piers.

"Out of all of us though I guess you're the one who's misses home the most." She said. "I mean, places outside of the Sea of Time all resemble each other quite a bit, but nothing really compares with Lemuria." Piers nodded slightly, giving a small grin.

"But it's been fun traveling Weyard with everyone. I've been in Lemuria for longer than any of you have been alive," He said jokingly. "It's nice to get out for a while." Felix turned a questioning eyebrow on the Lemurian.

"I don't think you can be so sure unless we know how old you _really_ are." he said. Isaac was quick to catch onto the joke and joining the other Venus-Adept.

"How do we know you aren't still younger than Kraden?" Isaac asked, the old scholar nodding in agreement.

_'Oh no, not this again!'_ Piers thought wildly, although in truth he was trying not to smile, _'I thought they'd forgotten!'_

"Oh _yes_ this again!" Ivan said, with a big grin on his face as Sheba smirked mischievously.

"We'll never forget! And we'll never stop until you spill!" They all laughed as Piers faked a look of horror at the threat.

The other's continued to pester him about his age until they reached the entrance to the city. The two Lemurians guarding the entrance brightened as they recognized Felix and the others.

"But who are they though?" One asked, glaring pointedly at Isaac, Garet, Mia and Ivan. The four adepts were a little nervous as Piers stepped forward.

"They are friends of ours who helped to fire the Lighthouses." He explained. "They can be trusted, and I'm sure King Hydros will want to see them as well." When the guards still didn't look convinced he added. "If they cause any trouble, like the others I'll take the blame, you have nothing to worry about."

The two guards exchanged nervous glances, something seemed to be bothering them.

"All right." One said. "they can go through but…" He trailed off, and Piers noticed that the man refused to meet his eyes.

"Is there something wrong?" He asked. Spring and Shade had come out of hiding again and were bouncing excitedly around the others. The second guard spoke up,

"They can go, King Hydros has told us not too hold them back, but…" he too looked away, "We need to speak to you in private though, Piers." He said. Piers felt a small amount of dread seep into his stomach, but he quickly shook it off.

"Of course." He said calmly, "You guys go on ahead," he said to them, nodding towards the door-way. "I'll catch up with you later near the fountain." Felix, Jenna, Sheba and Kraden nodded and started dragging the other four with them. Once they had vanished down the passage, one of the guards spoke up.

"You shouldn't have said that you know." He said, looking at the ground.

"Why not? I said I'd meet them near the fountain, what's wrong with them meeting me there?" Piers asked as the second one answered, pulling out a small bundle of envelopes and taking out the first. Handing the thick parchment out to him he said,

"Because you won't be there…"


	3. They Hold You Deep

**Chapter 3 **

They Hold You Close 

Mia couldn't help but gape at the city around her. The foggy air pulsed with magic, history pouring out of each ancient building. Felix and the others had led them through the streets of the legendary city. But its splendor had not been lost on them either.

They where standing around the spring Kraden told them was the source of the long life-spans of the city's inhabitants. And each of them was having a go at the fountain, testing their luck as they tossed in coins.

"What the heck?" Garet cried as the dragon head placed a Fireman's Staff in his hands. "Is this a joke? **Ivan** could snap this thing in two if he tried to use it!"

"Hey!" Ivan shouted. They laughed as Garet continued to exclaim over what he called a _'Weak'_ weapon, and as he showed off the Fire Brand to a small crowd of people.

"Something wrong, Felix?" Isaac asked the other adept as he came down the street towards them. Mia glanced over, Felix _did_ look troubled as he watched the small crowd. The only two children in Lemuria were both staring wide-eyed at Garet as the Mars-adept started talking about places on the other side of the ocean.

But as Mia turned to get a better view of the crowd, she noticed that when the two came closer together in order to hear, the boy's mother came up and shot a glare at the other, before stalking off with him in her arms. Mia also noticed how the people seemed divided down the middle. Her eyes went wide slightly as she realized the tension between the Lemurians.

"Apparently after we left last time, the island hasn't been so peaceful." Felix was saying. "There's been some kind of disagreement that has the whole city seems on edge, I think it would be a good idea to make our way to the palace as soon as possible." Isaac nodded and went to grab Garet. Ivan and Sheba stood near the two, with Blitz and Gust hovering near-by.

"Man, where's Piers?" Jenna complained from where she was leaning against the side of the fountain. "He told us to meet him here, so what's taking so long?"

"Patience is a virtue, Jenna." Kraden said as he cleaned off his glasses. "I'm sure he'll be coming anytime now.

Mia was getting edgy to, she really hadn't been sure of those guards. They had looked like they were hiding something, like they were going to do something they just _knew_ they would regret…

Moving away from the pillar she had been leaning against, Mia walked over to where Felix and Kraden were talking quietly.

"I can go back and see what's taking him so long." She offered. "You said that it would be smart to get to the palace, you guys just go ahead and then we can meet up later." Felix just looked at her and seemed to mull over it for a few moments.

"Are you sure you don't want to see the rest of Lemuria, Mia?" Kraden asked, he didn't seem too fond of the idea. Mia just waved her hand as if too dismiss his concern.

"No one said I wouldn't get to see it, Kraden." She said. "I just won't see it now. I'll get a chance to take a good look around later. Besides," She continued, "I forgot to grab a few things from the ship, so I'd have to go back anyways."

"That sounds like a good suggestion." Isaac said, coming up with Garet behind him.

"Whatever gives us something to do is fine with me. I'm all out of lucky coins." Jenna said. Ivan and Sheba nodded in agreement.

"Ok," Felix said. "You two meet up with us in the Palace, or if it takes you guys to long, at Piers' uncle's house."

"Ok, we'll meet up there then." Mia said smiling.

"A Mercury-Adept who didn't want to see all of Lemuria as soon as possible. It's simply astounding." The scholar muttered, shaking his grey head as they got ready to move through the city.

"See you later, Mia." Sheba said as they parted. Mia turned back and waved.

Mia tried to set a steady pace, but whenever she saw something carved onto a pillar or the side of a building, even the buildings themselves, she just had to slow down and take a closer look.

"It's no wonder Piers always talks about his home, you can't even walk down a street without gasping at something." Gel said as she looked up from the tile that was half-buried, an intricate picture carved into the surface.

"So what, it's not everyday I get to walk down the streets of an ancient, _inhabited,_ city, brimming with history and Mercury-Adepts." She said as she continued down the lane. She kept herself from mentioning feeling lonely elsewhere, Alex and her had been the last in Imil, and then it had only been her and Piers. However, it was difficult to think of feeling a connection in Lemuria, now that the tension had been brought to her attention, it was making her skin crawl.

Walking quickly down the steps, she picked up her pace again as she spotted the entrance to the harbor. As she made her way down the dank corridor towards the boats, she heard voices in the distance. Despite being closed off from the sky, there was still ample light to see by, such a strange island.

'_That must be them.'_ She thought as the voices grew louder and she was able to pick out the words.

"I'm never going to forgive myself…" She heard. Pausing, Mia listened.

"We couldn't do anything else, this isn't our fault." The other spoke up.

"Damn him for making us do this… If I ever live to be a thousand, the look on his face is going to haunt me forever…"

"Like it won't do the same for me?" Confused, Mia started walking again until she was able to see the guards. One was sitting on the ground, looking dejected; the other looked like he wanted to hit something. Both looked up as she came into view, neither one able to meet her eyes.

"Where is Piers?"

------------------------------------------------------------

There was no sound in the cavern as Piers walked through the shadows, no sound other than the soft crunch of his boots against the gravel path. His eyes were down-cast, his shoulders slumped. But his mind felt like Sheba had used the Cyclone chip in his skull…

He's dropped the letter back at the entrance to the city, but even though he'd basically just skimmed the contents, every word was branded on his memory…

_Piers, _

_Commander of the HMS Wave Wing, _

_By the order of the Senate of Lemuria, for the crimes of repeatedly sailing beyond the borders of the Sea of Time, and for purposely bringing outsiders into the city, you are henceforth banished from the ancient Island of Lemuria. You are, under no circumstances permitted to re-enter the walls of the city, under punishment of imprisonment in the palace dungeons. _

_You are forbidden to claim Lemurian ancestry. Your name has been stricken from Senate records. _

_You are no longer Lemurian. _

Underneath had been signatures from almost every member of the Senate, Constervato's scrawled across the page with notable flare, beside them King Hydros had signed as well. Piers stopped walking, he was shaking all over.

"P-Piers?" Spring said quietly from behind him. Shade had gone with the others, but Spring had remained and followed Piers when he'd gone they other way. This was the first time the Djinni had spoken.

"Piers… Y-you haven't said anything. What happened back there?" the small Djinni said worriedly. Piers looked straight down, shaking with pent-up emotion.

"Damn it." He muttered. His hands fisted held straight by his side. They wouldn't even let him see his uncle again.

"Piers? _Piers!_" Spring cried as he bolted straight into the shadows, heedless of the spirit's cries. "Piers! Where are you going? Tell me!" Spring shouted as he vanished. Running down the passage after him, the Djinni tripped over a hidden bump and fell forwards. She tumbled over a few times before coming to a stop.

"Piers?" She asked quietly, even his foot-steps had faded into the shadows. Confused, lost, and alone, Spring just curled up against the wall.

And waited.


	4. You Can't Escape

**Chapter4 **

They Hold You Close 

Felix blinked three times and read the letter again. There it was, in a neat and flowing hand,

_'You are henceforth banished from the Island of Lemuria, under penalty of imprisonment in the palace dungeons.'_ he shook his head.

_'Damn it, Piers, I'm sorry…'_ the Adept thought as he raised his dark eyes to Lunpa again. They were all assembled in the Throne Room.

"We didn't actually think Conservato would be able to pull it through, many in the Senate stand against him, but apparently more still fear to disobey him…" Lunpa said, the thin man with thinner black hair and a pointed nose was shaking his head. "He rallied enough support and forced Hydros to sign… Now it leaves the city torn." The old explorer sighed as Felix passed the letter to Jenna.

"What does this have too do with the people?" Garet asked. Lunpa looked up to answer, but Hydros beat him to it.

"In his absence Piers became a common topic of conversation all over the island." The king said,

"Kind of like a Hero?" Sheba offered. Hydros mulled over it for a moment, giving Leon a chance to speak up.

"That's all a matter of perspective really." Pier's Uncle said, though his voice was quiet, hardly filling the air between them, let alone the massive chamber of aquariam stone. "Those who have felt the changes in Lemuria since the Lighthouses' were fired do consider him a hero of sorts, especially among the younger people who now wish to see the lands outside the Sea of Time."

"But there are still those who stand against Alchemy and leaving the island. So he is not as well-received." Lunpa pointed out, the old king sighed, stroking his dark grey beard with one bejeweled hand, a skyblue curtain of silk wrapped around his head save for his face, banded with platinum which was real as opposed to the flashy thread of Piers' own.

"This issue is tearing Lemuria apart," he said sadly. "I cannot tell with this ploy whether Conservato aims to re-unit our people, or only widen the gap between them."

"All you are certain of is that Piers will never re-enter Lemuria." Ivan said sadly, the three men nodded.

"Then I say it's best to get our boat fixed and leave as soon as possible." Isaac said. "It would kill me to be banished from Vale yet still have to stay nearby. I think it's the best thing we can do for Piers, especially with his injury."

"Injury?" Piers' uncle repeated, looking up at Isaac, "What happened? What's wrong with him?" Felix saw worry flashing across the old man's face at the thought of his nephew in harm. The Venus-Adept felt a stab of guilt.

_'Damn I mean, he lost his sister and now his nephew's been banished, how could so much go wrong for this guy's family in just under a year?'_ Felix thought as Lunpa put a hand on Leon's arm.

"Easy, friend," He said, "Do not always assume the worst has come to pass, let them speak." Looking back at the Adepts, Jenna was the one to explain.

"Piers received a stab wound sometime last night or early this morning, he was asleep for a few hours before we all made our way to the city." She said. Felix was surprised when, not just Piers' uncle, but Lunpa and Hydros also perked up.

"What kind of wound?" Hydros asked.

"Uh… It looked like he'd been stabbed with Felix's Trident." Ivan supplied,

"Yeah, he said he got it when he was dragging Felix inside and it poked out and got him." Garet said. Lunpa quirked an eye-brow.

"Why would he be dragging you in?" He asked.

"We were knocked out in the storm." Felix said, his first verbal contribution to the discussion.

"_No_" Jenna said.

"We were knocked out by that flash of psynergy when Piers' power sky-rocketed." Isaac stated. Felix briefly recalled the lines of blue webbing across the ship, so unlike anything he'd seen before, not to mention the solid **wall** of energy around his friend. Not even the Wise One had ever achieved such a feat as far as he knew.

"When it _what?_" Hydros thundered, standing up suddenly to loom over the more than slightly surprised Adepts, memories of the storm were abruptly shattered. Lunpa looked shocked while most of the blood drained from Leon's face.

"I remember that," Ivan said, shakily. The Jupiter-Adept let out a yelp as Lunpa came forward and lifted him by his collar.

"You tell me everything that happened up until that point! Every last detail, do you hear me?" He shouted, shaking Ivan as he did so, and nearly choking him as Ivan's toes just grazed the floor.

"Lunpa, put the boy down." Hydros commanded. Lunpa bit his lip and set Ivan down. Wiping his hands on the front of his shirt, the man looked as if all he wanted too do was pick Ivan back up and shake some answers out of him.

"I'm sorry," He apologized in a rush, "But you must tell us everything." Felix nodded.

"Everything."

**----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- **

Mia walked down the dank caverns. Illuminated by flashes of sea-greens and blues. She ran one hand along the slick wall, guiding her through the shadows. The sound of water dripping and seeping down the walls echoing in the volumouse space in her other hand she held a bunch of letters from inside Lemuria.

_---Flashback---_

"After we told him what had happened," One guard said, still not meeting her shocked gaze, "The look on his face it… It was just too hard. I mean. I can't fathom what he must be feeling right now…"

"A-and he just, he turned around and left?" She asked, still trying to understand what she had been told. Mia clutched the letter in her hand as both nodded. "Where do you think he went?" She asked.

"We aren't sure. After you all fired the Lighthouse', things have been changing in the caverns." Mia looked up at him, confused. The Lemurian continued.

"With Alchemy unleashed, the caverns seem to be expanding. No one knows what cavern lead's where, but anyone who goes in oddly never gets lost." the other guard nodded. "The only one it doesn't work for is Sir Lunpa, so everyone thinks it has to do with being Mercury-Adepts."

"So Piers won't get lost?" She questioned.

"Nope, and I doubt you would either if you went in." Mia looked at him, that same look of guilt and shame creeping back into the eyes of both.

"That small Djinni went with him, but I think it would be a good idea, what with everything, for Piers to speak to some one more…"

"Solid." The other finished. "We'd go ourselves but…"

"Neither of us think we could stand to face him again so soon." He paused. "With your quest completed and Piers with no home to return to,"

"We think it might be best for him to talk to one of you." Both stopped, looking if they had nothing more to say, the mood seemed a bit tense as the unasked question hung in the air. Mia nodded solemnly.

_'He'll need a friend and the others are all talking with Hydros by now.'_ She thought, as she smiled sadly. The one standing to her left reached into his pocket and pulled out a bundle of letter, looking at them sadly before handed them to her.

"They're for Piers." He said quietly. "They're from people inside the walls, his uncle, His Majesty the King, Sir Lunpa, and others that have been supporting him. I didn't have a chance to give them all to him." Mia nodded again, accepting the thick bundle of parchment.

"I'm sure he'll want them," She said, tucking them away within the thick white folds of her cloak. "I won't forget to deliver them."

_--End Flashback--_

"_'No one ever gets lost'_, he says. _'Mercury-adepts know there way around the caverns'_, he says" Mia muttered under her breath as she came to a fork in the cavern. "If that's true then tell me why I can't tell which way I came from three paces back, hmm? Tell me that."

Mia kept muttering as she tripped over a large bump up against the wall. Giving out a startled yelp, she put her arms out to keep from getting a face-full of grime. She succeeded in keeping her face, and the letters, out of the muddy water pooling in the caves, but she was not so lucky with her clothing.

The Mercury-Adept cringed as she felt cool water seeping through her dress, as well as through the cloth on her arms as she pushed herself up. Standing up, she grimaced at her clothing.

_'Things refuse to go well today…'_ She though, _'The ship gets trashed, Piers is stabbed by _**something**_, he gets banished, and now I get lost. Gods, the Wise One's probably laughing up a storm right about now.'_ She gave a heavy sign and bent down and to retrieve the letters.

"M-Mia? Is that you?" A shy voice asked. Mia froze, pausing slightly before straightening up again.

"Spring?" The dim light made it hard for her to see, but when the lump she had tripped over moved, Mia was sure it was the Djinni. "Spring, where did Piers go?" She asked worriedly. She heard Spring sniff before replying,

"Piers ran off…" The Djinni said. "He didn't say a word, and I don't know what happened. One of the Lemurians at the door handed him a letter and then he looked so torn and started walking away." Spring sounded chocked and more than slightly worried, Mia held her arms out and Spring jumped up. Mia then sat down on a nearby rock and tried to sooth the small spirit.

"What do you mean he ran off?" She asked, "As in he just left you here?" Spring nodded and curl up against her arm.

"I tried talking to him, but I don't think he heard me…" She said. "He just stopped and stood there shaking before running off down the passage." Spring started shaking as well, and Mia heard the Djinni whimpering slightly. She rocked the spirit gently as Spring continued. She felt so uneasy at the thought of Piers just leaving like that. According to the others, Piers had been with Spring and Shade long before he had ever left Lemuria. And she knew for a fact that the three were closer than Flint and Isaac.

"I even called after him once he started running but he didn't turn back or even notice me…" Spring continued, "He was in so much pain, Mia, I wasn't even using the mind-link, but I could still feel it." She felt added moisture on her left arm as she realized that the Djinni was crying. Mia hadn't even bee aware that Djinni _could_ cry.

Whimper? Yes. Complain? All the time. Argue? Constantly. But never cry. If Piers had made Spring so worried that she would start…

"He was banished, Spring." Mia said softly, she felt Spring freeze in her arms. "That letter was from the Senate," She continued "Conservato received enough support from the rest of the Senate that he was able to pressure Hydros into signing it."

"Hydros he? But-but, Mia… Wha—NO!" Spring shouted suddenly. Wrestling free of Mia's grasp Spring started running around shouting, the fist-sized blue creature literally bouncing herself against the cavern walls.

"He's the one who sent Piers out in the first place!" She cried, "How could he betray Piers like that? Piers followed Hydros' orders! It's not fair that they do that! They can't do that!" Spring stopped and turned on the Adept.

"You're lying!" She accused, Mia balked at the accusation. The Djinni had gone from sad and disbelieving, to volatile and angry. "Hydros wouldn't let that happen! I know for a **_fact_ **that he wouldn't do that! You can't tell me that! I-I, I just know… I mean… He wouldn't… He… No…"

"He did, Spring."

Mia gave a start, glancing over her shoulder she saw Piers standing just a ways off, walking slowly towards them both. Spring leapt up and cannoned into him, still crying.

"No…" The Djinni sobbed into Piers' shoulder. The Mercury-Adept reached up and rubbed the spirit's back, Mia felt a stab of guilt at the sadness reflected in his eyes. Standing up, Mia made her way over to him.

"I'm so sorry, Piers…" She murmured. He gazed down at her and nodded. Placing one hand on his arm, Mia offered up the bundle of letters. Piers just looked at them as Spring melded into his shoulder, Setting herself instantly.

"It's letters from people inside the city." She said softly. "The men at the gate asked me to deliver them to you. Some are from your uncle and Hydros." She added.

With both hands now free, Piers took the bundle and looked over it. The corners of his mouth pulled up slightly, a small, sad smile.

"Thank you, Mia…" He said softly then, glancing around her said. "I ought to head back to the ship, I'm sure you want to go back inside and see the city." Mia felt a flash of guilt at the way he said it, his tone failing to mask the longing in his voice.

"No," She said, shaking her head. "I got a good look around, I don't really want to go back in." Piers smiled slightly as they started walking, side by side, down the passage.

"That's a lie and we both know it." He said, that sad smile still hanging there. "You shouldn't miss out on this." He continued. Mia shook her head again.

"I'm not going back in, and there's nothing you can say that will make me" She said sternly.

"Mia."

"Piers." She mimicked. "Don't you see that I can be just as stubborn as Jenna?" She stopped and planted her hands on her hips. But her expression was still soft. They stopped walking for a moment with her standing like that, but then they began to walk again.

"I know you may need some time to yourself," She continued before an uncomfortable silence could sneak up on them, "But right now, with you injured, is that such a wise choice?" She asked. Piers seemed to mull over this a moment. Taking a step closer, Mia reached out and touched her friend's hand.

"I'm worried." She said. "You lost your mother not to long ago, and now you can't even go back and see her grave." Piers looked down to meet her eyes.

"Mia, I've gotten over my mother's death." He said, almost casually. "I've mourned and now I've--."

"Don't lie to me." She said sharply, cutting him off. She stared straight up into his golden eyes.

"Mia, I'm not lying, I've moved on." He said, turning away, he started walking again.

"Do you think I can't tell?" She asked him, walking quickly to catch up with him "I've seen what death can do to a family Piers. It's my job, I can't be a healer unless I know what I'm trying to prevent." She said flinching at the sound of her own voice as it echoed through the caves. Piers just seemed to ignore her as he shook his head.

"I know you still weep." She said simply. Piers stopped dead and turned to face her. She could tell he half expected her to be smiling triumphantly, but her expression was pained.

"You wept just this morning, before I came in and looked over you." Mia continued. "You thought of your mother and you wept. I don't call that a reaction of some one who has moved on."

"What? How did you?" He couldn't even finish the question, his tongue just wouldn't form the rest of the words.

"Shade couldn't keep her mouth shut to save her life, Piers. You know that." Mia said softly, her face still blank. Piers lowered his eyes as she walked up to him again. Now was not the time to be badgering him, and she felt awful for bringing his mother up. But she'd been noticing things that were making her worried, and his banishment could only make things worse for him.

"Piers, when she died you had to be strong in order to complete our quest and save Weyard." Placing a hand on his cheek, she made the Lemurian meet her eyes.

"But now that that's done and over with, you have to mourn her properly and really let go." She said. "You have to let go eventually or it'll tear you apart inside." She felt him tense up for a moment and she removed her hand. Piers just looked down at her, and odd look in his eyes.

"We have to get back to the ship." He said hoarsely, urgency seeping into his eyes as Mia just looked up at him, a little surprised.

"Why? Is something wrong?" She asked; Mia took a hesitant step back as she looked him up and down quickly. Her eyes froze on the dark patch spreading rapidly over his stomach. Piers wiped away a small trickle of blood that seeped past his lips.

"Yes, very wrong."


	5. They Pull You Close

**Chapter 5 **

They Pull You Close 

Garet followed Jenna up the ramp to the ship's deck, Shade whizzing by in a desperate search for Piers. Everyone's spirits had been crushed when they'd learned that Piers had been cast out of his home, but everything seemed to have gone from bad to worse as they had learned something even more important. _'Am I really the only one who sees that we were kept in the dark about all this by one of our own?'_ He thought angrily.

"Why the hell wouldn't he tell us all that!?" He snarled, his tone mirroring his frustration, waving his arms around to get his point across. Garet ignored the warning look from Isaac as the Mars-Adept continued his rant. "He fulfilled some prophecy about being the Mercury-Adept who gained the power of Aqua Rock, we all know that." He stopped where he was on the ramp. "So why the hell didn't he think to tell us the _Lemurian_ version of it!?"

Garet stopped talking as he felt the others all giving him meaningful glares. Even Lunpa, Hydros and Leon, standing on the ramp behind him, seemed to have had enough.

"Probably for the same reason you won't shut _up_ about it." Felix said sharply, just behind him. Jenna walking towards to him and glared straight up into his eyes.

"He probably didn't tell us because he didn't **_know_** that this would happen, **Garet!**" Garet gulped as the other Mars-adept's eyes flashed as she got ready to let him have a piece of her mind. "He was on his way home to try and figure out a way to keep things from happening and found his way blocked."

Garet put his hands in front of him and took a step back as she advanced. The three men behind him were forced back and had enough brains to just get off the ramp all together.

"**_I_** don't think he saw any reason to get us all worked up about this and get worried when he was almost **_positive_** that he'd find a way around things!

"If you were in his place, **_Garet_ **with all that hanging over your head, would **_you_** have gone and gotten us all worried? If we had known about all this, **_Garet_** do you think that we would have let him out of our site for a **_moment_** because we were afraid for him?" Garet was backing up at a steady pace now, either unable to, or to wise, to attempt to get a word in edge-wise.

"**_NO_** I don't think you would! I think you would have done exactly the same thing as—" There was a loud splash as Garet ran out of ground to back up onto. Caught off-guard, he reached out and grabbed Jenna's hand, pulling them both in. Jenna thus receiving her second dunking of the day.

Garet thrashed around madly before coming back up to the surface. The frigid water cut right through his thick clothing. Shaking the water out of his eyes the burly adept swam towards the rope hanging down from the side of the pier. As Jenna started for the rope as well, he heard the cabin door open.

"Oh, it's just you guys" He heard Mia say, she sounded relived. "Where are Garet and Jenna?"

"Right here." He said, hoisting himself up and scrambling along the ground until he could get a decent grip with his boots.

"Me too." Jenna said, rather crisply. Garet prayed that she'd gotten most of what she'd wanted to say out and that she'd leave him alone now. They still had to tell Mia what they'd learned at the palace.

The others, including Hydros, Lunpa and Leon, had all made there way up on deck while Garet had been enjoying his little swim. Mia stood in the doorway, worry etched into her face. Hydros and Lunpa looked as impressive as ever as they stood on the deck of the moored ship. Leon though, looked almost frantic with worry. As Garet came up behind Jenna, both trailing water, he followed the Lemurain's gaze and found an answer for his unease.

Mia's sleeves were pushed up past the elbow, her hands stained with faint traces of blood. Felix and the others seemed to have noticed as well.

"What happened?" Felix asked, Mia looked away before speaking

"We were walking through the caves, we were almost insight of the ship when he stopped and the wounds just burst open again…" Mia pursed her lips as Leon went pale.

"H-he's just sleeping right? No dreams at all?" Mia gave him a questioning glance, not sure who he was, or why he had any real business asking. Kraden seemed to notice this and spoke up.

"Your highness, this is our ninth companion, Mia. Mia, these men are King Hydros, The explorer Lunpa, and Piers' uncle, Leon." Each man nodded as his name was called. Mia gave a small curtsy as Lunpa stepped forwards, his expression grim.

"Under different circumstances I would say it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Mia." He said gently.

"Now that you are all assembled, I would think it a good time to explain this matter more thoroughly." Hydros said, his commanding tone belittling any argument. The others all nodded in agreement as Leon spoke up.

"Do you think I would be permitted to see my nephew, Majesty?" Leon said anxiously. "The banishment states that he is forbidden to enter the walls, but since I am outside them…" The Lemurian licked his lips nervously, but Hydros merely nodded, and that same sense of guilt that the travelers had been seeing more and more of made its way across the Kings features.

"Of course you may. There is little you can offer in terms of an explanation that Lunpa and I cannot supply. The only objection could be given by, Miss Mia?" Garet saw Mia give a bit of a start at having a _King_ ask her something, but she just nodded.

"Yes of course, he's sleeping now, last time he stayed like that for over three hours, but as long as you don't try to wake him, then there should be no problem." Mia gestured for Piers' uncle to follow her down into the cabin; Garet wasn't at all at ease with how she was acting. She looked frightened and almost helpless, Mia was _not_ helpless, not the Mia he knew anyways.

The others all followed the two Mercury-Adepts down into the cabin. Lunpa spoke up as they walked into the lower part of the still rather shattered room.

"And here I had thought you were exaggerating about the damage." He exclaimed. "Yes, we'll need crews in here to fix up everything, what did you say about water leaking in the lower rooms? Yes, almost everything needs to be looked at, but it shouldn't take very long though, not long at all."

"Lunpa." Hydros said calmly. "Let's wait until Mia comes back and we get the more important things taken care of first shall we?" Isaac stood near the far wall while Ivan and Sheba grabbed chairs for Hydros and Lunpa, as well as for anyone else who there were enough for. Kraden eased himself on to the still mangled spare-bed as Jenna and Garet took two of the extra chairs. Felix was content to lean against the far wall with his arms crossed.

A few minutes later Mia appeared in the doorway to find everyone settled. Hydros and Lunpa had there chairs set up in the center of the room so that everyone could see them, and Mia took a spot between Jenna and Garet.

_'Now it's time for some _real_ answers.'_ Garet thought.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Mia stared intently at the two men sitting in the center of the room. She was not looking at all like she had originally planned when she had heard that they were going to meet an ancient King in his Mythical city.

"As you all ought to know," Hydros said, his tone was soft but Mia could still sense the commanding air that surrounded the man. "The legend in Lumuria, is that the master of water shall be of Lemurian decent." Isaac and the others nodded slightly, apparently they had all been told this part, but Mia had missed the first explanation.

"But that legend does not end with that." He continued. "No, that is only a small part of a long and confusing prophecy. Forseen long before even I walked along the surface of Weyard. Long before any one ever **_thought_** about sealing Alchemy away.

"Straight from the old texts, it would take far too long to recite the entire thing in one sitting, as well as far to complex in how it is worded. But I can of course give you a more, how should I put it, a dry run, so to speak." Hydros nodded, seemingly unable to find a better way to put it.

"First and foremost, what you must all be made aware of is that Piers is in the center of this, and there is nothing you can do to change that."

"You already told us that back at the palace." Garet said, Mia nudged his arm slightly and he looked down surprised.

"Yes, but not all of you were there. Were you, Master Garet?" Lunpa said smiling slightly, Hydros cleared his throat as a sign that he wished to continue.

"Piers was actually made aware of this long before now." Mia noticed Garet's brow furrow slightly, "All the way back to before you four slew Poseidon."

"_What?_" Felix asked, his normally placid expression gone as he looked utterly confused by the statement. Kraden and Sheba seemed a bit lost as well.

"_'The Master of Water shall be of Lemurain decent. A champion among others, as a quest unfolds to save the world. The King of the Sea shall fall to him, the Stone that Cry's will wane._

"_'As the beasts each fall, he'll stand among his partners, the wielders and Masters of each Alchemy's star. Yet as the stars shine brightly, atop the spires, his powers too shall wane. The King of the sea shall rise again, if only to mark him true._

"_'In a sleep of pain will soul be tried, as demons are unleashed. Yet if blood is pure and heart is true, the power then will be claimed. Two names upon the Golden Bond, two souls to merge as one. But if deceit lies in the heart of one, then tragedy issue. The Master will fall, in all his glory, his bloodline then will wither._

"_'Corruption, Deceit, Lies, and hate, non these shall bid him die. But the hope of Love and all it's treasures, this will bid him end.'_" Everyone was silent as Hydros stopped speaking.

"That is but a simple version of the prophecy. I myself have spent many centuries looking over the texts, and I have found those verses to be the most important."

"King of the Sea?" Ivan asked, "Is that referring to Poseidon? But Felix, Jenna Sheba and Piers all fought him together." Kraden nodded.

"Yes, Jenna and Sheba were badly wounded, but they still won as a team." Jenna glanced at the old scholar.

"But you didn't see the actual fight, Kraden." She said heatedly. "You were in here cowering under the table." Kraden seemed to puff up a bit at the insult, but Felix stepped in.

"We fought as a team, but Piers still struck the last blow. Technically _he_ killed Poseidon." the Earth-Adept stated calmly.

"And _'The Rock that Cry's_'?" Garet asked.

"Well that's obviously Aqua Rock." Mia said. "The _'Wielders and Master's of each Alchemy's star.'_ I'd guess that'd be all of us. We all fought together too save Weyard and we've found ourselves involved in more than one Prophecy before." Hydros nodded.

"_Yet as the stars shine brightly, atop the spires, his powers too shall wane. The King of the sea shall rise again, if only to mark him true._ What does that mean?" Isaac asked.

"Well, I suppose it means that when the Lighthouses are fired, Poseidon will rise again and mark… Piers? How would he do that?"

"It could have been that flash." Sheba supplied. "And the shoal, I could swear I saw a trident sitting on the rock in the center, and none of those things were there before, they just appeared when that storm blew up."

"The storm to is an enigma." Lunpa said. "There is no doubting its occurrence, but no one inside the city was even the slightest bit aware of it, nothing more than a little rain or strong winds." Hydros seemed to be taking all of what they were saying in as he sat mulling in his chair.

"The old texts say that the Master will be marked by the King of the Sea, and that this marking shall occur when the King returns to his throne, and _'His aura shall blind those fool enough to fight him.'_ or so the prophecy says anyways." Both men sighed

"How I wish that this case were like the others, and we could all breathe easier." Hydros said, rubbing his eyes with one hand

"This has happened before?" Kraden asked, the other all glanced at the king as he answered.

"Yes, since I was still a young man there have been three False-Masters, young men who left Lemuria and returned with wounds similar to Piers' own; breaking open at the slightest disturbance, swallowing any psynergy used on them in an attempt to heal. All three though were not the men foretold in the prophecy, Piers is."

"How can you be sure of that Majesty?" Isaac asked.

"I bet none of them fulfilled anything in the prophecy." Jenna said before Hydros or Lunpa were able to answer, Hydros nodded though.

"Yes, as soon as Piers and you three slew Poseidon, I was almost positive that he would be the one, hearing soon after of your conquest in Aqua Rock confirmed it"

"The prophecy is the main reason Lemurians are forbidden too leave the Sea of Time. How can one slay or be slain by Poseidon if one never ventures into his realm?" Lunpa asked,

"How can you gain the secret of Aqua rock if you never visit the Apojji Islands?" Isaac added, and everyone nodded in agreement.

"So you knew that they couldn't be this, Master of Water, because they were marked but didn't do anything else, right?" Sheba asked "It would have been too soon for the prophecy to be fulfilled anyways, the Lighthouses were only fired six months ago, unless it was done so before and simply went un-recorded."

"But King Hydros, weren't you the one who sent Piers to fire them in the first place?" Ivan asked, Hydros nodded yet again.

"Piers had concerns about what had happened out-side the city when he returned the last time. He told me about Aqua Rock, as well as Poseidon, _and_ that he now traveled with a group with an Adept for every Element. He did not know what to think, but we surmised that it would be only best to see him back out, there was still the matter of Weyard dying to deal with first of course."

"But why did he keep everything from us?" Garet asked; Lunpa took over this question, cutting off Jenna who was getting a dangerous look in her eyes.

"Your friend here summed up most of his reasons, we know for a fact that your quest was far from easy. From what you have told us yourselves about Mars Lighthouse, I would doubt you'd have let him near the tower, let alone the Aerie. Knowing what kind of danger he was in, I would not be surprised if you would have tied him up and shoved him in a closet." Mia shook her head slightly, had she just missed something?

Piers was some prophesized Hero from Lemuria who would apparently tap into some great power. Mia's guess; that had something to do with Alchemy. It would only happen once he had conquered Aqua Rock, defeated Poseidon, fired the Lighthouses, had companions who represented Alchemy, and was marked by Poseidon who was already dead. But if Piers had completed all those things, why would they have been afraid for him?

Plus, there was also still that _'Golden Bond'_, and the _'merging of souls'_ that they hadn't even _touched_ on yet.

"That makes no sense." Felix was saying; Mia shook her head again, still _very_ confused.

"Apparently you're not the only one who is in the dark, Mia?" Lunpa said, nodding towards her, she put on a weak smile as she shrugged her shoulders in confusion.

"It seems I should have gone with you, why would we have been afraid for Piers before now?" She asked.

"I can answer that one." Garet said, "According to that Prophecy thingy, Piers would have been prone to sudden losses of strength leading up to Poseidon 'Marking' him or whatever."

"And since that could have occurred anytime leading up to Mars Lighthouse, we probably wouldn't have let him off the ship or fight anything stronger than a jelly-fish if he had told us." Jenna cut in, once again glaring at Garet. Mia ignored the two and started mulling things over in her mind.

"Something wrong?" Isaac asked, Mia looked at him before speaking,

"I don't remember him suddenly feeling weak or anything before the Lighthouse, but _after_ we fought the Doom Dragon, he took the longest to recover, and he kept seeing me every now and then afterwards, asking about anything that helped restore energy."

"I remember him acting a little tired more than usual," Ivan said conversationally, "But I just though he was taking it easy since the quest was over, and we didn't have to go sailing all over Weyard worrying about how fast Gaia Falls was eroding or what was happening in Prox." Mia looked down at her hands folded neatly in her lap.

"That's what I thought too, but if I think about it… Do you remember when we took that trip back to the Kibimbo a few months back too see how Akafubu was doing as Witch Doctor?" The others nodded slightly, after Mars Lighthouse they'd spent the last few months re-visiting places all over Weyard.

"Yeah, I remember that," Sheba said with a small smile, "You and Akafubu kept getting into small arguments about the best way to set a bone, or to cure poison." Sheba giggled, the memory of the two esteemed Healers bickering the whole time playing over in her mind. Sheba stopped quickly as Mia smiled slightly and kept her eyes down.

"Well," she said, "One night after you all had gone to bed, he and I were talking and, well he mentioned something…"

_**--Flash Back-- **_

_The air hung heavily in the small hut, small burning incense-sticks hung from strings attached to the roof, giving the small space a musty sent and filling it with dull smoke. Mia sat cross-legged on a few woven mats strewn across the floor, the Witch Doctor Akafubu sat across from her smoking from a long pipe, his large head-dress hung from a peg on the reed-wall, his ceremonial robes folded next to him. _

_"That other Mercury-Adept you travel with," Akafubu said, "I remember him from my initiation ceremony, when I became Witch Doctor." The young man pulled deeply on the carved stem of the pipe, exhaling slowly, the thick wisps of smoke encircling his head before evening out into the heavily perfumed air. _

_"There is something troubling him. You know that, yes?" the last of the smoke brushed past Akafubu's lips as he spoke. Taking a date from the small tray set out beside her, Mia chewed and swallowed part of the wrinkled fruit before shaking her head _

_"No I didn't, what makes you say that?" She asked, Akafubu glanced down the whole in the floor, as if checking to make sure his father and the Wise Man where asleep before responding. _

_"His aura has changed," Akafubu said "All of theirs have, but his is the most noticeable. There is something focused on him, but I cannot tell what. It is taking power from him, draining him." Mia gave him a questioning glance. _

_"Are you sure?" She asked, "Piers' been a bit more relaxed recently, we all have. But I haven't noticed anything un-usual about him lately." Akafubu smirked knowingly, _

_"Yes, but _**I**_ am a Witch Doctor, _you_ are a mere Healer." _

_"You still seemed a little squeamish when that boy came to you with a dis-located shoulder you know." Mia shot back, she smiled as his eye twitched. Taking another deep breath from the pipe he said, _

_"At least I don't need Psynergy to heal _**my**_ patients." _

_**--End Flash Back-- **_

"So Akafubu noticed something and you didn't think on it?" Isaac questioned, Mia sat up straighter in defense.

"Isaac, he'd been going on for hours about how you hadn't been sleeping well, that Garet didn't take well to high places, and that Jenna, Sheba and I ought to…" Mia cut herself off, her mouth a thin line. "Anyways," She continued sternly, "he was pointing things like that out the entire time we were there so, no, I didn't think on it."

"I would like to speak with this, _'Akafubu'_ one day if the chance ever arises," Hydros mused, "Even though it appears you did not get along very well, I would still like too speak with the young man able to sense the Mystics at work, months in advance. Quite the talent, I must say."

"Ok, so before this marking, he would be at risk of sudden weakness, what about now? Is it still the same or will it stop?" Sheba asked, she and Jenna still glancing over at Mia, both wanting to know what their friend had been about to say. Hydros and Lunpa both looked grim at the question.

"For each time Piers would have felt weak before, now the wounds will break open. They won't spill enough of his blood to kill him, but still too much for him to just bounce back from." Lunpa said; the old explorer looked hesitant before continuing, "None of you should attempt to heal him with psynergy. You will only do damage to yourselves, and most likely Piers as well." Lunpa looked as if he'd just bit a green lemon as he said it, but Hydros simply nodded in agreement.

"Why?" Felix asked,

"It's a vortex that draws in your psynergy." Mia said, "Like a whirlpool, you try to put in just a bit, but it ends up snaring you and taking everything it can." Lunpa nodded.

"I see you tried to help him." He said Mia nodded.

_'Of_ course_ I tried to help him,'_ She thought _'I'm a Healer and he's my friend, I watched as all of my power was pulled in and nothing was working too help him. I would have been dragged in, I only managed to get away because he stopped me before I was pulled too deep.'_

"What's the purpose of all this though?" Jenna asked. "All I've pieced together is something that sounds _way_ to much like what the Wise One put us through." Hydros looked a tad tired at the relentless questions, but the King simply thought for a moment before speaking.

"What the prophecy is mainly about is that someone will claim the power of the Sea. One of Two names on the Golden Bond shall gain power over everything from the smallest trickle to the very Oceans of Weyard." The room was silent as Hydros finished.

"Wha…?" Garet said, taken aback.

"Piers could gain that kind of power?" Ivan said in awe "Shoot, I'd better stop making fun of him then…" Hydros nodded, his face still lined with worry.

"This is something many inside Lemuria would love to take from him, mostly those in the Senate." Lunpa said,

"That is, if they find out about it, right?" Felix said; both men from inside Lemuria nodded.

"We would like to keep this as quiet as humanly possible. We do not need people following you around constantly until your ship is repaired. Many like we have said; would give their right arm at the chance of such power. They are fools who know naught of what awaits Piers because of this."

"How could they take it from him? And what's this _'Golden Bond'_ You keep mentioning? Does it have something to do with Alchemy?" Kraden asked; Lunpa smacked himself in the side of the head.

"By Poseidon's wrath how could we have forgotten too explain that? The Bond is one of the most important parts!" He exclaimed, although with perhaps a bit to much flare. "Without it Piers will die without even a chance to prove his strength! By the Gods, men from Angara are not meant to live this long! It's addled my wits, I swear it has!"

"Calm down, Lunpa." Hydros said in a steady voice, "We have covered much in a short time. No one will think less of you for forgetting one part."

Garet's stomach chose then to growl, bringing the King's attention back to his audience. A small smile touched the ancient Lemurian's lips as Garet colored slightly, Isaac laughing slightly in against the wall until his stomach did the same.

"Eh, he he. It's been a long day?" The Venus-Adept tried lamely, forcing a smile despite all they'd just heard. Hydros nodded in agreement as he stood, Lunpa following in suite, the other's who had been sitting stood as well as Hydros addressed them.

"It has indeed been a long day for you all, and this is not something one should think on, on an empty stomach or with a weary mind. It will not be hard to slip back out here tomorrow night without the entire city's knowledge, there is a grand celebration then that Lunpa and I have but small parts to play." Lunpa began to make his way to the door leading down to the lower decks. Mia, realizing what he was after, spoke up.

"I'll get him; you stay up here, Master Lunpa." She said kindly as she stood up straight and walked towards the door, Lunpa nodded thanks and walked back to Hydros who stood talking with Kraden.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Mia stiffed a yawn as she made her way down the steps, and walked along the lower decks to Piers' room. _'Gods it can't be that late, but I'm exhausted.'_ She thought as another yawn cracked her jaw. Fizz appeared on her shoulder,

"Well no duh you're exhausted." The Djinni piped up. "You've been up for hours and last night wasn't all that relaxing. So much has happened in the last two days I doubt if any one'll sleep well tonight."

"Were you listening to what was being said?" Mia asked Fizz nodded,

"Yep, all sixty-three of us listened to every word."

"Sixty-three?" Mia almost bit her tongue as she said it; Fizz just blinked and looked Mia in the eye. She knew for a fact that all of Piers' Djinn were all in the room with, when they'd gotten back to the ship they'd been hysterical. Fizz seemed to sense that it was just a slip so didn't bring it back up.

"Sounds like we have another job to do" The Djinni said; looking at down the hall as Piers' room came into view. "So much for your guys' vacation around Weyard, at least you all got to go home for a while before this came up." Mia nodded as she placed a hand on the door-knob.

"Sir?" She said softly as she cracked open the door, she saw Leon sitting next to the bed where Piers lay, the older Lemurian holding the hand of the younger. Mia was a bit caught off to see Piers look up as she came in, Leon turned around looking slightly surprised. He looked so odd without the headdress which was folded up on the stand next to his bed.

"King Hydros and Master Lunpa are waiting for you upstairs now." She was swamped with guilt as the words came out. "They're ready to make their way back inside the city." She bit her lower lip as both seemed saddened, Leon looked back at his nephew.

"Remember what I said now, and I'll be back tommorow if I can." He said. Piers smiled wearily,

"Don't worry about me, Uncle." He said, "I'm not in too much trouble yet." Leon still looked worried, as he walked past Mia though he pulled her a ways out into the hall to speak with her.

"I don't know how much they've been able to tell you yet," He said, "But please, I want to be kept informed of what's happening to him. Will you?" Mia nodded, forcing a smile.

"Of course I will, I'm still a Healer, I won't keep you in the dark." She said, Leon nodded nervously, the worry in his eyes lessened somewhat, but there was still to much left behind for her comfort. He ran one hand back through his hair, she noticed then that he was a very thin man, but not in the way Lunpa was, just long and sleek. Piers' uncle looked like he should've been fairly large, but his fingers were like reeds, the skin around his eyes pale and ashen as the blue from his hair was nothing more than a faint silver.

"Thank you," He said, with one last glance through the door at Piers, the Lemurian made his way down the hall, and back up to the main deck.

"If you keep biting your lip like that it'll come off." Piers warned, Mia picked up on the false cheer, but didn't bring it up. Looking at him she smiled slightly.

"Can I get you anything, Piers?" She asked, watching him chew the inside of his cheek as he thought.

"Well, some kind of psynergy that can get rid of these holes in me would be nice." He joked, Mia didn't think it very funny _'At least he isn't mopping like Garet always does when injured.'_ she thought.

"Hehe, how about getting one of them to talk to me again?" He said, gesturing around the room. Mia didn't know what he was referring to till she took a better look around, her eyebrows rose slightly as she saw all of his Djinn sitting around the room looking at him silently. "It's a bit un-nerving." He continued, she smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Gel said that if we moved around and bugged you too much you'd start bleeding again." One of them probably Fog said quietly. Mia felt her eye twitch,

"Gel's nothing but an over-reacting, worrier, you all know that." Piers said, seemingly relieved that the nine of them were no longer standing perfectly still, four of them had already re-set themselves to him, leaving only Sour, Fog, Spring, Shade and Chill still in the room.

"It's nice to know they care so much though." She said to him as Chill and Fog leapt up onto the bed, Piers shot her a light glare,

"Next time you're injured I'll tell all of yours to do the same. _Then_ we'll see how nice it is." He said, Chill started jumping up and down on the foot of the bed,

"So it doesn't matter if we act the same around you, Piers?" He asked. "It won't make the wound break open again, will it?" Piers shook his head as Fog jumped up and grabbed onto his shoulder.

"It's random, it happens whenever it feels like it," Shade said, "That's what I always heard in the city." She said, Sour cocked his head to one side,

"You know it isn't really fair that you two got to live with him in Lemuria," The Djinni complained.

"Makes the rest of us feel like we don't know him…" Piers shook his head, not having liked the overly cautious attitude they'd adopted, but clearly liking this dejected mood even less.

"Not true, you two know something they don't." The Adept smiled as both perked up.

Mia felt a bit of surprise as she realized the guilt that had been over-whelming her before had pretty-much vanished. Her mood was much better now thanks to this light chatter Piers seemed to be encouraging.

_'He's a lot like Felix and Isaac.'_ she thought, _'Just because he doesn't blurt out the first thing that comes to mind, doesn't mean he doesn't notice things or put them to good use.'_ Mia smiled as she interrupted Sour and Spring who seemed on the verge of an argument.

"I'll bring in some supper for you as soon as it's ready, the main thing that pulled Hydros' attention from the discussion was Garet's stomach making its discomfort known." She said, Piers laughed slightly.

"Garet is the only one I know who puts food before anything else." Piers said lightly, "But now that you mention it, I'm starving as well." Mia smiled and turned to leave, looking back over her shoulder she said,

"Don't get worked up though, when I bring in the food I'm coming in with bandages as well." She saw Piers cringe slightly but then laugh a bit as she closed the door. Mia sighed as she made her way back up to the cabin.

_'Food, bandages, bed. Gods I could sleep for a month I'm so tired.'_ She thought as she climbed the steps. _'Maybe tomorrow when we hear the rest of this Prophecy things won't look so mixed up and hopeless.'_

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	6. Pushing Them Away

**Chapter 6 **

Pushing Them Away 

Mia was wrapped snugly in the thick Imilian quilt on her bed, the soft white sheets they'd picked up in Kibimbo holding the heat in just as well. She rolled over giving out a content sigh, the air in the small cabin was _far_ too chilly for her to think about getting up, no matter that she had grown up in frozen Imil.

Sleet, apparently, had other ideas. Mia could sense the small Djinni floated gently a few inches from her face, and she could picture the Spirit's evil little grin. Sleet knew Mia was awake, and had every intention of getting her up. Mia heard the prankster take a deep breath,

_'Three… two… one…'_ Mia then heard Fizz, Mist and Hail slam into their friend, the scuffle that followed, and the re-assuring click and bumping that meant Sleet was now securely captive in Mia's travel pack.

"Thank you…" Mia mumbled sleepily, covering her mouth with the back of her hand as she yawned. The three Djinn smiled before fading away, Mia felt her power and energy increase as they each Set themselves to her. The added boost was enough to perk her up a bit more, but unfortunately it also made the soft warmth of the bed uncomfortably hot.

_'Then again,'_ She thought, sitting up lazily _'Maybe I ought to lock you three in there as well.'_ Mia let out a sigh, her eyes widening in surprise as her breath was visible in the cold air of her room. Pushing aside the covers she ended up pulling them back up around her shoulders, placing one foot gently on the wooden floor she jumped at the iciness.

_'In fall, anywhere South of Imil, and North of that small island with the penguins,'_ She thought as she reached over to grab a change of cloths and place them under the covers to warm up, _'Should_ **never**_ get this cold!'_

Braving the cold floor, the Mercury Adept padded over to her pack. As she opened it Sleet glared at her before jumping out. Mia chuckled slightly to keep her teeth from chattering, the cold air slipping through the sheer fabric of her night-gown, as she pulled out some of the thicker articles of clothing she'd taken with her from Imil. Rushing back to the bed she rubbed her feet to get back the feeling before slipping on a pair of thick stockings.

"It's about _time_ you realized it was freezing in here." Sleet nagged as Mia continued to get dressed. "You didn't even put enough fuel in the bizarre for the whole night, just enough to heat the room a little bit before going off to sleep." Mia glanced at the small spirit,

"Well, it wasn't freezing last night," She said "And I was always led to believe that small wooden rooms keep heat rather well compared to others." Sleet nodded as Mia got up and exclaimed over the thin layer of ice over the water in the basin.

"Yes, but you forget that you're on a boat, in a cave, and that you're in the middle of the ocean where winter comes sooner." The Djinni said, Mia sighed and didn't even bother arguing. Arguing with Sleet was like arguing with Akafubu, you were just yelling at a brick wall.

"What I wouldn't give to have Piers' Parch right about now," She said as she broke the ice and splashed some of the frigid water on her face. "Gods that's cold." Picking up the small towel next to the basin Mia dried her face and hands as she walked to the small dresser and pulled out one of the drawers.

"What cha' gettin'?" Sleet asked, hovering over her shoulder, Mia looked over and smiled.

"Bandages and ointments for Piers," She said, Sleet nodded before asking,

"Why does he complain so much about you changing his wrappings?" Mia made a funny face as she straightened; a few roles of fresh gauze in her arms.

"_All_ men complain about things like that." She replied, "Isaac, Garet, Kraden, all of them, even the ones in Imil always hated it."

"Even the dirty old men?" Sleet asked, smiling mischievously again. Mia cleared her throat at the comment,

"Yes, even the dirty old men." She replied simply.

"What's all this about old men?" Jenna asked. Poking her head in the door, the Mars-Adept smiled at her friend.

"It's nothing." Mia said, at the same time Sleet blurted out;

"Mia's changed the bandages of dirty old men and even _they_ complained about it!" Mia glared at the Djinni as Jenna gave her a questioning glance, but the Mars-Adept just shook her head though and smiled.

"Well, doesn't matter. Lunpa really didn't waste anytime; those crews he said he'd bring in are already up on deck." Mia raised a questioning eyebrow but they other Adept just shrugged. "Don't ask me, I have no clue."

"Are you two coming or not?" Sheba's voice rang down the hall. Jenna looked off to the side as Mia came up and poked her head out, Sheba stood a ways down the hall with Blitz and Cannon hovering impatiently off to the side.

"Come on!" Blitz called, ruffling his long, sage feathers behind his head in agitation.

"We already had to wait for Mia to get up!" Cannon echoed, the red and yellow fire lizard flicking its serpentine tail a few times "Let's go!" Mia blinked a few times confused.

"Where are we going?" She asked as Jenna got impatient as well and just grabbed her arm, Sleet zoomed back inside and followed a few minutes later with Mia's cloak. Pressing the cloak into Mia's already filled hands, the Djinni managed to balance the roles of gauze.

"Into Lemuria of course!" Sheba exclaimed, "Piers was up earlier and telling us all to go in and spend the day there."

"Didn't you hear Hydros last night?" Jenna asked, "He said that there was a celebration today in the city. Piers said that it lasts the first month of Autumn, and that today is when it starts!" Jenna was grinning from ear to ear as she rushed Mia up the steps, almost pushing her into a Lemurian workman standing nearby.

"And don't you get all upset about him being up while he's still injured neither." Sheba pointed out quickly, "Isaac, Felix, and Kraden beat you to it. They lectured him for a while before he was able to sweet-talk his way outside for a short walk a few minutes ago." Kraden, who had been speaking with one of the Lemurians heard this and came over.

"Lectured! **Ha!**" He muttered sourly, glancing at the two Venus-Adepts "These two just stood there glaring the whole time, I doubt Piers would have known what was happening had I not intervened." The two were talking with another blue-haired local, him asking questions and the two giving yes or no answers.

"All he wanted too do was go take a walk, Kraden," Garet said walking over. "I don't get why you all flipped out on him like that." Kraden gave the Adept a disapproving stare.

"Because he's injured and those wounds could break open at anytime!" He stated simply. "I still don't see why you let him go out like that." Kraden murmured, Mia wanted to ask where Piers had gone, but Jenna just grabbed her arm and pulled her through towards the door.

"Don't you worry about him," She said simply, "His uncle's been doing enough of that this morning." Sheba nodded as they walked past Ivan and a small group of Lemurians, they were checking for any damage done to the wings.

"Well you certainly slept in late." The younger girl commented as they walked down the ramp and along the stone pathway. Mia glanced at her friend.

"How long was I asleep for?" She asked, blushing a bit in embarrassment.

"Way longer than anyone else." Sleet answered, "You were out cold from the second you crawled under the sheets last night, to just before I tried to get you up." Mia smiled sheepishly,

"No chance of breakfast then is there?" She asked,

"Breakfast?" Jenna scoffed, "You mean lunch!" Sheba and the Djinn giggled slightly as they made there way past the guards and into the city. After they came out of the dank passage they were all hit with the strong aromas of cakes and pastries baking inside of homes, and were able to see a few brightly colored banners flapping in the crisp breeze. Sheba grinned happily as they climbed up the stairs and saw two men hanging another bright red banner across the entry to the city.

"Who says Lemurians have no fun?"

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Leon cupped his hands under the small trickle of pristine water, apparently seeping out of the smooth stone wall. Taking a quick drink he turned to his nephew who was sitting on a rock nearby, the younger man was looking around the caverns,

"I still cannot believe how things have changed since I left." He exclaimed, getting up to touch the faintly pulsing rock, "I remember the bedrock pulsing and glowing a bit," he continued "But never so brightly! And even where we stand I can tell which way leads back to the ship." Piers turned back to his uncle with a small smile "It's amazing."

"Imagine everyone else's surprise." Leon said lightly, drying his hands on the front of his shirt. "That was when you gained the most support, when more people got involved." The old man walked over to Piers and placed a hand on the younger one's shoulder, "I wish I could show you, Piers," he said regrettably "I wish you could walk the city streets again, but I know the guards won't let that happen." Piers removed the re-assuring hand and faced his uncle,

"You know I want to see what has changed inside, from what you've shared it sounds like much has." He said with a light smile, but his expression hardened, "But I will not sneak back inside." Leon balked,

"I said no such thing," The old man started,

"But you _implied_ it." Piers shot back, the two stood looking at each other for a few moments before Piers smiled slightly again. "Don't worry about me, Uncle, I'm fine outside the city." Piers started walking down the passage, Leon keeping pace with him. "And you know for a fact I'd be in more danger inside the walls where people know about these things, than outside where even my friends don't quite understand." Leon looked grim as he nodded,

"Perhaps Conservato had a better reason to banish you than just out of petty spite." He commented. "It gives you better reason not to come back to Lemuria where people would try too taking this from you, than simply not wanting too visit." Piers gave a sly smile as his uncle spoke.

"You always do try to find the silver lining." Piers commented, "Even though I doubt Conservato has any knowledge of this. If he did I don't think I'd be able to sleep at night, no matter how much medicine Mia slipped in my drinks." Leon chuckled at this, an odd look seeping into his eyes.

"You trust her, yes?" He asked, Piers eyed him,

"I trust them all with my life, Uncle." He replied firmly, "I have had to multiple times before, and I would again if I had to." They stopped again as Leon nodded

"Have you chosen one?" He asked softly, Piers didn't meet his eyes as he looked at him. Leon clasped his nephew's hand "It's not easy I know, Piers, but you will need to make a decision sooner or later,"

"Before some one makes it for me. Yes, I know, Uncle, but I don't even know where the bond is, no one even knows _what_ it is actually. _'Two names upon the Golden Bond, Two souls will merge as one,'_" He recited.

"_'But if deceit lies in the heart of one, then tragedy issue. The Master will fall, in all his glory, his bloodline then will wither.'_" Leon finished, expression grim, "I don't want that to happen, Piers, you know I don't."

"Yes, but that's all that's given in the Texts. The bond, as important as it is, could be anything, _anywhere_! I'd rather take my time and think about what'll happen when I find it, than to just pick a name off the top of my head!" Piers sighed and slowly shook his head, the pair beginning to walk again, a silence building between them for a few minutes, and then Piers stopped walking.

"That's a lie actually…" The mariner said, looking off down the passage, another arch-way stood off before them, leading back into Lemuria. Leon looked up and saw the regret in his nephew's eyes, "I'd rather not think about this at all…"

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For all the splendor and wonder of the city and its festival, Mia, Jenna, and Sheba were more in the process of becoming thoroughly nervous than anything else. Half the people in the misty city either glared at them and cussed under their breath, or lavished them with praise about the Lighthouses. Neither of which was very enjoyable.

Those who glared simply made the three feel uncomfortable. The remarks about things like foolish explorers damning the world, and how Piers had betrayed them all cut deeply, but the support wasn't all that great either.

It always started out nice, but then people would start suggesting things like attacks on other citizens and even the Senate, all very subtly, of course, but enough for the three to take a hint. Mia personally was beginning to feel thankful that Piers couldn't come back and see how everyone was divided.

The healer nibbled a hot pastry that one Lemurian woman had handed each of them as they made their way down the ancient street.

"Well, so much for a relaxing afternoon." Jenna said with a sigh as she licked the last few crumbs from her gloved fingers, Sheba looked around and spotted the only little girl in Lemuria wandering around alone. The three girls stopped walking as the child saw them and made there way over. Her aquarium pig-tails bobbing as she clutched a small stuffed animal in the shape of a Djinni.

"You know Piers, right?" The girl asked in a gentle voice as she came up to them, Mia nodded and knelt down so that she was eye-to-eye with the girl.

"Yes, we know him, why?" She asked. The child seemed to tense up a bit, and looked nervous as she held the small toy closer.

"T-Timmy's mom said Piers became a bad man when he went away, and daddy said the same thing too. Mommy and daddy got in a big fight and she ended up throwing a vase at him. Now we're staying with Piers' uncle." She stopped, looking as if she'd said too much. The girl looked nervously at Jenna and Sheba, but seemed more confident when she looked back at Mia. Mia's brow furrowed as she listened, and turned her head to listen as the small girl leaned forwards and whispered in her ear.

"Mommy said Piers did the right thing and that Grandpa did a bad thing to him because of it. But daddy and Timmy's mom say Piers did the bad thing on purpose and Grandpa was right." Mia noticed she clutched the small toy closer, and that the girl took a shaky breath "Piers made Sally and Nicky before he took Spring and Shade away with him when he left. They asked him to and let him cut out fabric and even helped to stitch the pieces together so that they looked like them, and he never complained once. If Piers did something like that, then how can what he did be wrong?" the small child pulled back and Mia really didn't know what to say.

It took her a moment to understand that _'Sally'_ and _'Nicky'_ must be the names the children had given the toys. The name _'Sally'_ was stitched into the tail of the small Djinni-toy the girl had, Mia guessed the little boy had the other.

_'But what do I say?'_ She thought franticly _'I can't tell her one thing without turning her against one of her parents or her grandfather!'_ Mia bit her lip as she thought for a few moments, the child staring wide-eyed as she bounced on her toes expectantly. Finally, realizing that she'd come to her because out of the three Mia was the only Mercury-Adept, Mia leaned forwards and whispered back,

"Piers did what he and others thought was right, but other people think he took to big a risk when he left. Piers' still a good man, but both your mom and dad have good points about what happened." Satisfied with what she'd offered, Mia sat back on her heels as the girl mulled over it a moment.

The small child looked down at the small toy a moment, giving it one last hard squeeze before thrusting it out towards Mia. Startled, the Mercury-Adept tipped back and knocked into Jenna's leg.

"Take Sally back to him." The girl said simply. "He'll be lonely with just Spring and Shade, Sally can keep him company when he travels." The three blinked a few times at the offer, and Sheba bent down to speak with her.

"I think Sally should stay with you." She cooed, "Piers gave her to you and he might think you don't like her if you gave her back." The girl's mouth went thin as she tried to press the toy on Mia,

"_Please_ give it to him?" She begged, her lower lip trembling slightly "Please?" Mia saw tears pricking the girl's eyes and reached out to accept the small toy. Jenna huffed disapprovingly at the gesture, but the girl just sniffed and wiped away the threatening tears.

"Thank you." She said softly "tell him I think he's still a good person and that Grandpa shouldn't have been mean to him. Tell him Timmy thinks so to, okay?" The three adepts nodded as the small child perked up a bit and smiled before she turned and skipped off down the street. Mia looked down at the small toy in her hands.

It was rather messy in terms of stitching; a few neater areas showing where the girl's mother must have sewn up places where the threads had snapped. The fabric was an incredibly soft material that Mia had come to associate with all the extra blankets on Piers' ship, whatever it was there was plenty on the Island. The Djinni's golden eyes were two polished rocks fitted into a cloth lip that had been tightened to keep them from falling out. Mia was surprised at the resemblance to the real thing as Sleet popped out and imitated the toy's position.

"Close enough?" The Djinni asked with a smile as Mia scooped him up with her free hand.

"Well," Jenna asked, placing her hands behind her head, "What do we do now? I'm not all that psyched for another go around the haughty booths. What about you two?" Sheba shook her head and sighed,

"Personally, I'd rather go back to the ship and lock myself away in my room till the work-men leave. After all this I'm not up too talking to another Lemurian unless it's Piers, his uncle, or Hydros."

"Speaking of Piers," Mia muttered, straightening, the Mercury-Adept knuckled the small of her back. "I should probably pass on that girl's message to him." Mia shook her head as she lifted up the small toy and looked at it again.

"You seem to be delivering a lot of things to him recently." Jenna commented, she smiled slightly but her tone was soft, not meant to sound conceited. As the friends started walking again, Sheba changed the subject.

"So what did that girl say to put pressure on you like that, Mia?" the younger woman asked, Mia blinked and met Sheba's smile with a light glare. Sheba held up three fingers, "That's the third time in as many days Ivan or I have been able to do that without you noticing, Mia," Jenna seemed to catch on and grinned widely,

"You've been really distracted lately, Mia," the Mars-Adept chided, "You had better watch out or Sheba might find something _very_ interesting." Mia felt her face darken slightly as the two burst out laughing, the Mercury-Adept chose to steer the conversation back to safer waters.

"She asked me whether her mother or her father was right." She said simply, Sheba smothered her giggles as she asked,

"Wrong or right about what?" Mia was about to worry her bottom lip again, but caught herself at it, _'I _**will**_ end up biting it off if I keep—Sheba? Stop that!'_ Mia glared at her friend as the rings of Psynergy dissipated the two fought giggles as they came to the steps. Mia huffed and crossed her arms as Sleet jumped up onto her shoulder.

"About whether Piers was a bad person for leaving Lemuria, and whether her grandfather was right in apparently being one of Conservato's followers." She said snippily, the other two shut up at her words.

"Oh…" Sheba muttered, looking down at the ground, they passed a few pillars as they began to exit the city. For once the three weren't taking in the sites.

"Well, that's a good distraction." Jenna muttered, "One more thing to dampen our spirits, I just hope Piers is copping with all this."

"Yeah," Sheba agreed, "Banishment, Prophecy, I feel really sorry for him." Sheba frowned before perking up again. "At least it isn't _all_ bad." She said, Mia grew a bit worried as her friends grinned slyly at her.

"What?" Mia asked. That look was never good, especially when Jenna began to look more like a Cheshire cat than an auburn-haired adept.

"Oh come _on!_" Jenna exclaimed, "I've never seen you so worried over any of us like you have the past few days over him!" Mia fought to keep the hot blush down as she stopped to gawk at her friends.

"How about when Garet almost lost his arm to the Doom Dragon?" She offered "I lost sleep over that, and this hasn't been half as bad! And besides!" She huffed crossing her arms "How would you two know how I acted? We've gotten to know each other really well over the past few months, but you weren't there when I traveled with just Isaac, Ivan and Garet." Mia seemed satisfied, so the evil grins growing on her friend's faces confused her even more.

"That was a quick argument." Sheba commented, "You had everything lined up and ready to use. Like you'd been practicing..." Mia mouth dropped open as the blush she'd been hiding forced its way up.

"Wha-? I… You-… I have not!" She stuttered, Sheba just grinned even wider.

"Come on, Mia!" the Jupiter-Adept pleaded, making big eyes, "I'm the youngest one here and _I_ can tell that you at least think he's cute!" The two girls laughed as Mia thought she was going too die of embarrassment, that or that the earth would open up and swallow her whole, _anything_ to get her out of this situation. Slowly an idea formed in her mind, and Mia took on her own evil grin.

"If you two don't shut up then we'll see how fast rumors fly on that little ship of ours." The laughter was cut off instantly as the two stood gaping at her.

"You can't do that!" Sheba yelped,

"That's not fair! You promised not to tell them!" Jenna seconded, both blushing as darkly as Mia had been moments before. Said Mercury-Adept just smirked.

"Who said I'd tell them?" She asked slyly, "I'd just let something slip to Kraden, or even Felix. Every one of the Djinn even would know by dinner." Mia smiled at the looks on their faces.

So what if she thought the only other Mercury-Adept she had ever met, aside from Alex, was good-looking? These two thought they were in love, and it wasn't all that hard to imagine that the feelings were true. As Sheba seemed ready to get down on her knees Jenna looked up triumphantly with a come-back.

"It seems they've sent out search parties for you already, Piers." Leon said with a smile as the two Lemruians came up. The words were half-formed in Jenna's mouth as she jumped in surprise. Mia spun around and stared at the two.

_'Oh gods how loud were we talking?'_ Mia thought franticly, the same thoughts were apparently racing through Jenna and Sheba's minds at the same instant. Sleet just rocked back and forth on Mia's shoulder, completely forgotten by the three adepts until she spoke up.

"WewentintoLemuriabutgotfreakedoutandleftcauseallthepeoplewereeitherrudetousorotherpeople!Thentheonelittlegirlcameupandsheasked,'Do you know Piers?'andthenMiakneltdownandsaid'Yes, we know Piers, why?' andthenshegaveMiaaDjinni-toyandtoldherthreetimestootakeitandgiveitoyoucauseyou'dbe_lonley!_ThenwecameoutthepassageandMiatoldthemthatthegirlwantedtoknowifyouwereabadpersonandthatshe'dsaidyouwereagoodperson_Then_theystartedtalking,andthen_Sheba_saidthat--!"

Mia quickly clamped her hand over Sleet, partially because she was afraid the small spirit would pass-out from lack of air, and also because that part of their day wasn't up for discussion.

Jenna and Sheba looked relieved, while Piers just smiled lightly and his uncle hid laughter behind his hand. Leon turned back to his nephew,

"It seems I shall be leaving you in good hands until later tonight." The older man said; leaning forwards a bit, Mia heard him whisper something to Piers, "Remember what we talked about. Think on it, Piers, it's going to have to be one of them. You had best talk to each. Alone." Piers nodded solemnly as his uncle nodded towards the girls and made his way back up the passage and into the city.

Sheba and Jenna seemed to have gotten a hold of themselves and were out for revenge as Jenna spoke up.

"We'll be headed back to the ship okay, Mia? We're sure you two want to talk." Mia looked back at them giving both a dark glare. The two other Adepts just ignored her though and turned around down the passage after Piers' uncle, Sleet bouncing off Mia's shoulder following them. At least Mia wasn't the only one who became hopelessly lost in the caverns.

_'Damn then.'_ She thought. _'It's not like I'm head-over-heels like they are.'_ Mia turned back and saw Piers biting the inside of his cheek, the Lemurian seemed to be debating something as his eyes traveled along the smooth blue stones strewn along the ground. Piers seemed to come to and agreement of sorts with himself though, as he looked up and met her eyes. Smiling slightly, the other Mercury-Adept held out one hand to her.

"Care to accompany me on a short walk, Mia?" He asked kindly, Mia just smiled and took the offered hand and together the two walked back down the way Piers had come. Their footsteps echoing off the solid stone walls; their forms swallowed by the ever-present shadows.


	7. As the Darkness Comes

** Chapter 7 **

As the Darkness Comes

Mia adjusted the cloak around her shoulders as they walked side-by-side through the caverns, the tranquil silence only broken by the constant dripping of water, and the distant crash of the waves against the Island's Western side.

Neither one spoke, but Mia was fine with the easy silence between them, it wasn't strained or uncomfortable. If not for the waves that were making a considerable amount of noise, she would have been completely at ease. Piers seemed to notice how she tensed up whenever the crashes echoed in the small space.

"You needn't worry about the waves." He said with a small teasing smile, his words breaking the silence as his voice echoed gently off the walls. Mia looked over at him and darkened slightly. Piers pointed off down into the shadows to the left of them,

"The part of the island on this side breaks off into a steep rock-face on the outside. Its solid bed-rock but for the part where Ancient Lemuria stands, there the rock has been worn away so the sound comes through much clearer. That cave right there leads to the old part of the city, so we can here the crashes." Mia tilted her head to one side, unable to see any opening in the rock wall where he was pointing because of the shadows.

"Huh," She said with an amused smile, "I hate how you know your way around so well. Not fair for me to have to be the one who proves that not all Mercury-Adepts can navigate these caves." Piers chuckled slightly as they kept walking,

"So how come Felix and the others never mentioned the noise any other time when they described Lemuria?" She asked him, the silence had been nice, but she was glad to have a chance to talk to him.

"They came here in Spring and Summer," He replied, "From Autumn through to Winter the Sea of Time becomes a bit more violent, and that side of the island gets bombarded by more powerful waves."

"That's nice to know." She said, "Is that why no one lives down in Ancient Lemuria anymore?" she asked, Piers looked puzzled for a moment before smiling slightly.

"Probably," He said "Half the time it's too loud to here yourself think if you go inside the buildings, and at night you can't sleep unless someone hits you with a rock." Both laughed and continued on.

The conversation strayed to a bunch of different topic, Piers told her about the different things happening in the festival in the city, customs and events that would take place. They talked about their friends and the Djinn, finally, Piers turned around and started asking _her_ questions.

"I've answered plenty of yours," He said cheerfully, "Now I want to ask you what you're going to do, now that everything's said and done with the Lighthouses." Mia bit her lip as she thought. They'd stopped for a short rest near one of the many streams they'd encountered. Spring and Mist had accompanied them, and the two Djinn were a ways off squirting water at each other.

"Well," She said looking away, "I haven't given it much thought really, a bit in the months since the lighthouses were fired, but not much." She glanced back at him, "First of all I want to help you through this in anyway I can. I know that's high on everyone's list at the moment." Piers smiled a bit,

"Well, in reality, I think there's only one person who can be the most help with this." He said; Piers glanced away as Mia turned to face him fully.

"What do you mean?" She asked, Piers took a deep breath as if to steel himself.

"Hydros didn't explain the Bond yet, did he?" Piers asked. Mia shook her head; the Mariner leaned forwards to look at his feet and let out a sigh.

"I need the name of one person I trust the most on the Bond, in order to live through whatever it is that's coming." He said, not meeting her eyes. "That person has to be strong enough to keep me alive through that, _'Sleep of Pain_, or whatever it is. My uncle put it as, _'An anchor on reality'_ something to keep me together." Mia swallowed slightly, her mouth was suddenly dry.

"Well," she said hoarsely, "I suppose Lunpa really doesn't like to exaggerate. He said that without the Bond you'd die, I suppose needing something to help you discern reality, well..." Piers nodded solemnly, looking at nothing in particular. "H-have you chosen yet?" She asked, Piers laughed bitterly,

"My uncle is constantly asking me that same thing." He said bitterly "I have no idea who to choose, Mia. My uncle would be the most likely choice, but he smothered the idea in an instant, Lunpa and Hydros as well." Mia let her confusion show on her face as he spoke, Piers noticed this and explained.

"Apparently, if it's kin then it won't work, it's too painful on both sides. There's some kind of mind-link involved that puts to much strain on both ends. And Djinn won't work, need someone human."

"Oh…" Mi mumbled, "I take it the fact that Lunpa and Hydros both hold high positions puts them out of the picture as well."

"Yes, and the fact that it leaves eight people to choose from isn't all that great either." He said dryly. "Kraden's out because he's too old, apparently this isn't a nice experience, and I don't want to put him through it. Sheba and Ivan aren't options because they're the youngest and I won't burden them with this." Mia nodded in understanding

"Five left, what's your take on everyone else?" She asked, Piers let out another breath, leaning back on his elbows on the rock they both sat on.

"Felix would be my best choice." He said after a few moments, "he's the strongest among us, emotionally and physically,"

"But," Mia said, Piers shrugged, "you feel he's been through enough what with living in Prox, the Lighthouses, and having his parents turned into the Doom Dragon by the Wise One. Same things go for Jenna and Isaac. Am I right?" She asked, Piers smiled sheepishly and nodded.

"And I don't get along with Garet as well as I could." He finished, grinning as she glared at him, "At least I care about my friends." He said in his defense as Mia swatted at him,

"Frankly, I think they'd all want to knock some sense into you if you said that to them!" she berated, crossing her arms as he laughed a bit more.

"What about me?" She asked him, Piers blinked a few times at the question, so she had to ask again "What. About. Me?" Mia repeated, poking his arm with each word, Piers shrugged.

"I don't know." He replied, "And it's not a lack of trust if that's what you're thinking." He said quickly, Mia glanced at him for a moment. Piers seemed a lot more jumpy all of the sudden.

"Hey! _Watch out_!" Spring cried out suddenly. Surprised, both Adepts turned around to look at them. In the shadows Mia could hardly see whatever it was that had gotten the attention of the Djinn. Eyes searching fruitlessly through the inky darkness, but at the sharp metallic clink that echoed through the caves, her eyes shot towards a small sphere bouncing towards them.

Everything seemed to slow down for Mia as the sphere knocked into another large rock on the cavern floor. Florescent light blinding her momentarily as the air was instantly filled with thick smoke.

Her first thoughts were of a sleep bomb, but as the mist surrounded her, her skin felt enflamed and she fell to her knees choking. The mist burned her where ever her skin was exposed. She opened her mouth to scream, but billowing clouds forced down any sound she tried to make as thick tendrils slid down her throat to tear at her lungs. Tears spilt from her eyes as they tried to wash out the burning smoke, but as she shut her eyes tight to keep more of it from attacking her, it seeped under her eyelids and only caused more burning pain.

Disoriented, Mia shook as she tried to crawl away from the burning mist, but as soon as she started moving; something grabbed the back of her cloak and pulled her to her feet. Whoever it was pushed her roughly in one direction and she stumbled before slamming into the rock she and Piers had been sitting on. Frightened, Mia opened her eyes again. The mist seemed to be retreating, but though the burning didn't increase, she was unable to see anything more than faint shadows amidst a blurry grey.

Mia gripped the smooth rock tightly as she tried to wipe her eyes, but that same person, or another, she couldn't tell, came up behind her and grabbed her neck. Forcing her head back, Mia felt something cold being poured down her throat. She coughed and tried to spit it back up, but whoever was holding the container only tried to jam the whole bottle down.

"Mia, _don't_!" Piers shouted his voice sounding distorted for some reason. Mia thought she heard something like a person being hit, and then a loud crash as if something heavy had been thrown to the ground. Mia wasn't sure; all she wanted was to get away, as far away as she could, as fast as she could.

The icy liquid seemed to turn to fire as she was forced to swallow, burning worse than the mist that still hung lightly in the air. Her throat burned as the bottle was taken away and Mia was thrown down. Her limbs were on fire and she couldn't make a sound, her head now felt like it was about to explode, every part of her screaming in agony.

Mia tried to scream over and over, but only fleeting whimper ever made it past her lips. Something echoed in the cavern, Mia was blind to whatever it was though, unable to form a coherent thought past her own pain. A few words made it through though, _"Weak"_ and _"Easy"_ were not hard to pick out.

Dimly then, just before Mia's dark world was thrust into sleep, she felt herself being picked up, and carried away.


	8. Creeping So Slowly

**There is a quote from the movie 'Men With Brooms' in this chapter. I don't own that movie, or Curling for that matter, and certainly not Golden Sun. Golden Sun belongs to Camelot, 'Men With Brooms' is some one else's. **

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**Chapter 8**

Creeping so Slowly 

Felix straightened from where he had just finished hammering in the last few nails in the cabin's outer paneling. It had taken over three hours, but the Lemurian workmen had insisted that they replace almost everything on the ship, and the battered, blood-stained, broken outer wall had been high on there list of non-crucial repairs.

_'Took long enough,'_ He thought, trying, and failing to get up, _'Now let's see if I can stand.'_ Wiping his forehead with the back of his gloveless hand, Felix smiled as Jenna came out and walked over with a warm drink.

"Thanks," He said with a grateful smile, he might be tired and a bit sweaty from working all day, but it was still too icy in the caverns for him to feel his fingers. Jenna smiled and crouched down next to her brother.

"Sheba and Kraden are cooking supper," She said, "Most of the workmen have already gone for the day, but some are inside warming up by the fire, you should come in to, you're icy."

"All right, _Mother_" Felix said sarcastically, smiling as Jenna smacked his arm. "We don't have a fire-pit though." He pointed out; his sister just looked in another direction.

"_Jenna_" He said in a warning tone,

"_What?_ It's not that big…" She protested,

"It's not the size of the army that matters, but the furry of its onslaught." Felix quoted, grimacing; he managed to get to his feet at last. "Kraden's cooking? Dear Gods." Jenna laughed a bit as they stood there a while more, Jenna looking around the deck,

"Looks a lot better than this morning," She commented, "Hydros and Lunpa ought to be arriving soon." Felix nodded, then remembered something,

"Have Mia or Piers come back yet?" He asked, Jenna looked at him and bit her cheek,

"No," She said, "I haven't seen them since they went for a walk together earlier." Jenna looked over his shoulder and her eyes widened,

"Felix…" She said urgently. Confused, the Venus-Adept turned around,

"Oh sh—"

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Marius had lived a long life in Lemuria, he had supported Piers against Conservato, like all of the other workmen currently helping to repair his ship. Yes, Marius had lived a long and quaint life inside the Ancient city of Lemuria, where nothing un-expected ever happened.

Holding the thick clay mug in both hands, he and his comrades, as well as the outsiders who traveled with Piers, were all becoming rather nervous at the noises and fumes being given off by the pot the elderly man was pouring ingredients into.

"We don't have to, _eat_, that do we?" Allan whispered, the young Mars-Adept had had the right idea in leaving to give her brother a drink,

"I don't think so, but _they_ might." Joseph replied. Yes, other than this first encounter with the elderly man's _'Stew'_, Marius had never had anything out of the ordinary occur in his life.

Well… Not until two screaming Venus-Djinn smashed through the newly repaired wall, collided with the big iron pot that was now over-flowing with green guck. The pot fell on top of two rudely awakened, and still disoriented Jupiter-Djinn. And then the two surprised Djinn summoned winds to free themselves, coating the whole room with green mush.

Yes, other then that, nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.

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Felix lay on the ships deck panting as Jenna started trying to get him up. No two sentences from his sister making sense among the whirl-wind of activity the two Mercury-Djinn had created inside his mind.

_'Where on Weyard did you two come from?!'_ Flower shrieked in his skull,

_'You blasted Iron and Echo right outta here! Look at the wall Felix just finished!'_ Mud yelled, hysterical.

Meld and the other Djinn seemed too stunned to add in there comments. Felix tried to get his head in order, that being made especially difficult by the fear and confusion pouring through the Djinn Mind-Link.

"Spring, Mist…" He said hoarsely, "Calm down…" Jenna muttered something as the others made there way out on deck, Isaac holding Echo and Iron, Ivan and Sheba trying desperately to keep Squall and Blitz from attacking Felix. The Venus-Adept's eyes went wide as the two listened and spoke clearer.

Kraden came out talking with some of the remaining workmen, saying that they'd best go home and that they'd be ready for them the next morning.

"Yes," one workman was saying, "We'll be here bright and early to repair the wall… Again…" Nodding, the workmen, still covered in Kraden's concoction, walked off the ship and down the docks back to the city.

"Doesn't taste that bad, actually..." One commented as they faded into the dank shadows. After the adepts were sure the men had left, Spring and Mist detached themselves from Felix. The two looked around wide-eyed and shaking as the rest of Mia and Piers' Djinn came out as well. Felix just stared at the two taken aback

"Now tell them everything you just told me." He said.

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Mia couldn't move. She couldn't think past much more than the fact that she could not _move_. Her head was still pounding viscously and when she opened her eyes they refused to focus. They were still in the caves, she could tell that from the lack of light and how she could feel the earth all around them. She was on her side; a rough mat was beneath her. But even though she felt nothing holding her back, her limbs refused to budge.

_'What did they give me?'_ She thought wearily, her mind too muddled to think clearly. She was sweating yet freezing at the same time, it was hard too breathe. _'Oh gods, I have a fever… What's wrong with me?'_ Closing her eyes as things seemed to shift, Mia heard someone talking nearby. Not to her, but still talking.

_'Two, there are two people talking… And… Arguing about something…'_ There was a loud bang, like someone slamming their palm on a table. The Mercury-Adept cringed slightly as the sound was amplified and struck her like a blow. A small whimper escaped her lips, that too echoing in her ears.

"You can't do that!" Someone hissed, Mia didn't recognize the voice, the words grating against her as she forced her eyes open again. Tears sprang up in another attempt to wash away whatever it was that was blinding her.

It seemed to work better this time; Mia was able to see the re-assuring glow of a candle nearby. Not the candle it's self, but the soft sphere of light given off by the tiny flame. She was also able to make out a table top, she was on the floor, but was still able to make out the sharp corner of the thick desk. Mia was also able to make out the silhouette of someone standing on the side nearest her; that was the person who had hit the table.

"Would you rather she just die then?" The second voice sounded the same, but the way the words seemed clipped at the ends told Mia it was someone else. The owner of the second voice reached out and picked something up, and she saw the figure holding whatever it was up for the first to see. Mia thought it looked like a bottle, something giving off and eerie blue light trapped inside.

"It's all so easy to save her, you know." The second figure continued, Mia forced herself to memorize the tone used, she may not be able to distinguish the voices, but she knew she'd have to identify the person sooner or later. "If you refuse to answer, I have no qualms about letting her suffer and die. I never knew you had such a cold streak in you, Piers."

Mia saw the one closest to her tense up slightly. Piers, she was sure it was he, leaned forwards as if to loom over whomever it was who had brought them both here.

"Let them go." He said simply, Mia still wasn't able to recognize his voice, but she still sensed the tension in his words. "Let them all go. Let them out of Lemuria, out of the Sea of Time. If any of your men so much as _touch_ one of them, it's all off." Piers finished. Mia felt confused at what he was saying; he wasn't including himself in whatever deal he was making.

A wave of nausea hit her as she tried to focus her eyes again. She let out a small whimper as she shut her eyes, praying for the pain that engulfed her senses to abate. Mia heard Piers and whomever it was he was talking to say a few more things; Piers shouted something and the other man grew angry. None of the words made sense to her though, the harshness of their voices sending her to her limit.

"Alright." She heard at last, the talking stopped, and though she didn't open her eyes again, she heard the second man mutter something that sounded like _'Out'_. Quickly Mia heard a few sets of boots scrapping along the ground as other men she hadn't even known were in the room left.

Mia, thinking she was alone, tried once again to move. Fear bubbled up inside as, instead of finding it at all easier to raise her arm or even role over, it felt as if she were entombed in ice, unable to move or even breathe. Her heart stared pounding in her ears at the thought, tears, not just to wash away her blindness, but of fear pricked her eyes, she couldn't even weep, Mia couldn't make any sound.

Her fear spiked again as she heard movement near her head, she heard something being picked up off the table as well as the soft crunch of the gravel under heavy boots. Mia squeezed her eyes shut, _'He wouldn't leave me like that,'_ She thought franticly, _'Piers isn't like that, he wouldn't—'_ Mia's thoughts came to a halt as she felt a warm hand on her cheek, as whoever it was wiped away the tears staining her face.

"Mia," Piers said softly, it reminded Mia of when she'd woken up after the storm and the others had all been asleep. "Mia, it's alright now. You're safe." He whispered; Mia felt his arms slip under her and lift her up against his chest. If she had been able to move at all she probably would have buried her face against him, but she was still hopelessly paralyzed.

Mia realized she was shaking uncontrollably as Piers stroked her back re-assuring. She felt surprised as the cool lip of another bottle was pressed gently to her lips, and something cold, but not icy, slipped into her mouth. The odd coppery taste reminded her dimly of one of her own remedies, but the thought faded as Piers spoke again.

"Don't worry, Mia," He said softly, "this will help wash the poison away. I need you to do something for me. You have to listen closely." Mia opened her eyes and was able to see the bright blue of his blazer. The liquid he was giving her, like the one that had burned before, grew warm as she swallowed, but it seemed to push away the pain and restore some of her energy. Not enough to move, but once he took the vial away she was able to move her head against him and nod slightly for him to continue. Piers swallowed as he rocked her back and forth. The odd copper taste still lingering in her mouth.

"I-I need you to go back to the others, tell… Tell Felix to bring the Trident to Ancient Lemuria and throw it into the waters near the submerged fountain…" Mia's brow furrowed, his voice was still distorted to her ears, only just regaining it's normal sound, but she was still able to hear the worry and regret seeping into his words as he spoke.

"Tell him to leave the Trident there, as soon as the ship is repaired." He continued he sounded slightly chocked as she managed to slip her fingers in between his, "And then…I want all eight of you to get on the ship, and leave." Mia froze as he said it, her eyes wide as she tried to shake her head.

_'What about you?'_ She thought confused; her voice still lost to her, _'We can't just leave you here! You said it yourself you need us to help you! You--We can't— No…'_ her thoughts scattered as she forced herself to shake her head, heedless of the nausea that hit her with the action.

_'NO.'_ she thought stubbornly, _'You're one of us, we _**won't**_ leave you here behind. You're our friend, Piers, you can't make us go. You can't… What will happen to you if those you trust in the city can't help you through this? What will happen?'_ She wanted desperately to ask him, maybe to yell at him as well, but no matter how much she tried, she just couldn't form the words…

"Mia," He said softly. She was able to look up slightly and make out the lines of his face. That was all there was for her though, his golden eyes were blurred to her, and she could barely make out the regret etched into the lines of his face.

"Mia, please," He whispered, she felt his hand stroking her cheek again, as soft as his words, "I know it's hard, and that none of you will agree, but…" He stopped again, Mia blinked away the rapidly forming tears, "But you have to leave the island, forever. Don't come back, forget I even exist. There isn't any way out of this, please, I know you can't understand, but I know what is going to happen. And I know that I can't stop it…"

_'No, you're one of my closest friends… No…'_ Mia pressed her face against the soft fabric of his vest, tears spilling over as she sobbed, still silently, into his chest. _'I can't talk to any of the others like I can you, Piers. I won't be able to forget you, none of the others will let it happen either…'_ Piers placed a soft kiss on her head, holding her close as he rocked her back and forth still.

"Things would have been like this anyways, Mia," He said hoarsely, and for some reason, Mia began to feel sleep coming over her, though she fought it as hard as she could. "They had the Bond this whole time, waiting, there's no way I could have gotten one of you to sign it."

He'd drugged the antidote. The knowledge stung but made sense, the same herbs she used to put them all to sleep had been mixed in. Mia summoned up her strength against the darkness that threatened to over-come her, tears still streaming down her face as she tried to shake her head again.

"Mia, I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do…" Piers said softly, sounding for all-the world like he wanted nothing more than to deny everything he'd just told her. "Tell Felix to take the Trident and throw it into the waters in Ancient Lemuria, then all of you get aboard the ship and leave. Leave, get on with your lives, forget…"

Mia looked up into his eyes again, her body felt cold as the drugs stole her away. The last things she saw were his Golden eyes touched with guilt and sorrow.

"Forget me…" He whispered, as her sight was lost again to shadows.

_'I can't…'_


	9. They Let You Go

**Chapter 9**

They Let You Go 

Lunpa, Hydros and Leon walked side-by side down the dank passage to the docks; the three men still wore the brightly colored masks from inside the city. The ribbons pinned to their sleeves fluttered as the men walked, none willing to let the mirth of the celebrations slip away in light of the tasks before them.

"I _still_ say I could beat either of you at the ring-toss." Lunpa boasted proudly, flicking away a bright red feather that fell across the eye-whole in his bird mask.

"_Yes,_" Leon said slyly, "But Piers could give us all a run for our money at anything else inside the walls." The three men smiled and Lunpa danced a few steps, surprisingly light on his feet for his age.

"Oh, I don't know," he said cheerfully, "I have a feeling I could outlast your nephew in a good jig tonight, maybe if he's feeling up to it I'll challenge him. No one said this night had to be completely serious, it's one of the best festivals you Lemurians have after all."

The two Lemurians passed their companion laughing as Lunpa's hip gave an audible pop, the Angarian placing a hand over the joint and hobbled after them.

"Well, maybe not tonight." He admitted. Smiling, Leon turned his attention to Hydros,

"I have to say, Majesty, these masks are one of your best ideas," the Lemurian said, fingering the paper mask he wore in the shape of a leaping fish. "With no one able to recognize each other, every one's getting along much better when going through the booths."

Hydros smiled, chuckling a bit, behind his Water-Dragon mask, holding up the small sack he held the King said,

"Hopefully Piers and his friends will like the ones we picked out for them. I still think that was thoughtful, and rather taxing, of you to make seventy-two small ribbons for the Djinn. I'm sure the gesture won't go un-appreciated." The three men continued down the passage for sometime, exchanging comments about what was happening, both the important and other-wise.

"Hey, do you two see that?" Lunpa asked as the end of the tunnel came in site, Hydros and Leon looked where Lunpa was pointing and stopped talking.

The guards where inside enjoying themselves at the festival, if they hadn't then they would have had some explaining to do. There was a large, odd lump in front of the city's entrance. Hydros quickened his pace and the other two followed in suite.

"Is that?" Leon said anxiously, "It looks like-" all three broke into a run the last few yards.

_"Mia!"_

------------------------------------------------------

"Mia? Mia, please, wake-up huh? Come on, time to get up." Mia's brow furrowed as she heard her name called, everything still echoing in her skull, so it took her a few moments to put a name to the voice,

_'Isaac..?'_ She thought wearily, she tried to say it as well, but she found herself still unable to speak.

"She was near the entrance?" Some one asked, it sounded like Felix, but Mia wasn't sure, and whomever he was speaking to answered silently because she didn't hear the answer. There was a sound of shuffling, loud to her ears,

"What happened to her?" the voice was painfully loud to her, and Mia cringed as Garet's voice echoed over and over. Mia didn't try to hear the rest of the conversation, but some words made sense. _'Walk,'_, _'Disappear'_, _'Hours'_, and _'Poison,'_ were spoken frequently.

The room was bright, as Mia tried to open her eyes the glare made her head pound viciously. She whimpered slightly at the discomfort, and raised a hand to cover her eyes. That she could do that one simple thing brought relief in waves, and she relaxed back into the plush covers on the bed.

Mia's eyes snapped open at the sensation. Everything clicking in her mind; bed, warmth, her friends, she was back on the ship. But how had she gotten back; and where was Piers?

Mist, Sleet, Hail, Gel, and Fizz were all sitting on the edge of her bed. Gel looked over for a moment and saw that she was awake. Turning back to the conversation, the Djinni did a double-take and spun around, knocking Fizz and Sleet with her tail.

"She's awake!" Gel jumped up squealing, the high pitch sending needles of pain through Mia's skull. Mist and Hail jumped up and smothered Gel to keep her quiet.

The others all turned around as the three tussled on the covers; they all opened their mouths as if to start bombarding her with questions, but Felix cleared his throat and shook his head as they all glanced at him. Mia felt a rush of gratitude towards her friend as King Hydros stepped forward,

"You were poisoned," He said gently, kneeling down beside the bed. "It is an old recipe from inside the city; it leaves a person with no one sense intact." His eyes ran over her swiftly, "But by the looks of it, you were given the antidote before any permanent damage was done. You ought to make a full recovery." Mia relaxed as he nodded slightly; there was no doubt in his eyes.

The light feeling diminished though, as she remembered what had happened when the antidote had been given to her. _'Oh gods, Piers… What on Weyard is happening?'_ Tears prickled her eyes at the thought as she remembered what Piers had told her to pass on. She noticed Leon standing nervously in the corner and looked away suddenly. The others seemed to take this as a grim sign.

"You can't talk, can you, Mia?" Ivan asked softly, stepping forward. Mia just shook her head in reply. Ivan and Sheba glanced at each other then back at her,

"Are you okay with us speaking for you?" Sheba asked; her voice lowered as well as Hydros stood and made room for the two Jupiter-Adepts. Again, Mia could only nod in response. Taking the King's place, Sheba clasped her friend's hand and closed her eyes, "What happened to you two?" The younger girl asked; Mia watched as blue rings surrounded Sheba.

_'We were taking a rest in the caverns after the three of you had left,'_ She thought, trying to ignore the odd sensation as the Jupiter-Adept listened to her thoughts. _'We were sitting down some where deep when Spring and Mist shouted out, the last thing I can remember was the entire space filling with some kind of burning gas that blinded. It didn't last long, but I could hardly move, people came, I don't know who. They forced something that burned, I guess that poison, down my throat and then I passed out.'_ Sheba opened her eyes and began repeating everything Mia'd told her, the other's listening quietly until Sheba stopped.

"Is that all? Then you woke up here?" Garet asked, looking frustrated. For all that she technically wasn't speaking, Mia bit her tongue sharply as she shook her head no. Sheba looked back at her and closed her eyes again, the Psynergy flowing around her once more.

_'When I woke up I couldn't move, sounds hurt, and I couldn't see anything more than, at least three feet in front of me. I saw two men; one was Piers and the other one I couldn't see. They were standing at a table right next to me arguing about something.'_ Mia stopped as Sheba passed on this information as well, she took the time to organize her thoughts before Sheba turned back, and the odd sensation returned,

_'They argued for a short time, then one, I think Piers they both sounded the same to me, agreed to something and then the other man left, a few other people who I hadn't known were there left as well. That was when Piers gave me the antidote. Soon after, I passed out and woke up here.'_ Mia looked away as Sheba relayed this latest part to the others. Leon went deathly pale, and swayed on his feet. Isaac saw this and immediately helped Pier's Uncle to a chair, the man collapsed down and held his head in his hands, looking for all the world like it was about to end. Then again, for him, it probably was.

The others all stood, varying degree's of anger and helplessness passing over their features. Jenna looked about ready to sear anything that moved, Garet looking just as frustrated, but apparently more willing to pound whatever it was he could find. Ivan looked lost as he just stood against the wall near the door, the normally calm Felix fingering his Sol Blade as if ready to whip it out and start slashing furniture. Isaac stood near Lunpa, rubbing his temples as he tried vainly to think up some sort of plan.

"What do we do now?" Sheba asked; her voice only slightly above a whisper. The others looked at her, not even Hydros had anything to add.

As Sheba stood up though, Mia's hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. Mia stared straight into her friend's bright eyes, _'There's more.'_ Though Sheba couldn't read her mind at the moment, the younger girl seemed to understand her. Settling back down, Mia readied herself for what ought to be the last Mind-read of the night.

_'Before I fell asleep after he gave me the antidote,'_ she thought, taking an unsteady breath, _'He told something to pass on to all of you.'_ Mia glanced at Felix who was glaring at nothing, he noticed her gaze and looked back, Sheba followed her friend's gaze as Mia continued,

_'When the boat is repaired, he wants Felix to take the trident and throw it into the waters in Ancient Lemuria. Then…'_ She stopped as Sheba looked worried, waiting for Mia's nod before passing on the message to Felix, the Venus-Adept quirked a questioning eye-brow, but remained silent. Sheba looked back at Mia,

"Then what, Mia?" She asked, the Mercury-adept looked away, tears threatening to over-flow as her vision blurred, she felt a sinking sense of betrayal as she met Sheba's eyes again.

_'And then he wants…'_

"And then he wants," Sheba repeated for the others to here,

_'For us all to get aboard the ship…And leave… And forget about him…'_

"For us all to get aboard the ship and- and _what?!_" Sheba cried, eyes wide with shock as she stared straight into Mia's eyes, the Mind-Link cutting off with her surprise. "We can't do that!" She shouted. "That's insane!" Mia cringed, partially from the pain Sheba's voice was causing, but also from the pain of possibly leaving one of their members behind. Ivan stepped up and placed a hand on her shoulder,

"We can't do what, Sheba?" He asked, Sheba looked at him wide-eyed,

"She said Piers wants us too up and _leave!_" she shouted, Mia could imagine the looks of shock on her companion's faces as Sheba continued to shout about what Piers had said. She lowered her eyes as tears clung to her eyelashes; she summed up all of her will-power to keep the rest at bay.

_'They had the Bond all along, that's what Piers told me, then he said he wanted us all out of Lemuria. He's right, I don't understand what's going on, but why did he choose this path for us too take?'_ Mia shook slightly as she tried hard not to cry, her friends were still exclaiming over the message, none of them understanding it anymore than she.

"That explains it then…" Leon said hoarsely. The others stopped talking; even Mia looked up through her bangs at the now very pale Lemurian. He just sat there, licking his lips slightly, "It explains it all…" He said, almost to himself, Mia noticed that, in fact, he wasn't talking to anyone in particular, mainly just to himself, grief pouring through his aura, strong enough for her to feel even where she still lay on the bed.

"It explains what?" Hydros asked softly, Leon looked up; his eyes wide, like a child's almost.

"Why, the pain of course." He said, as if it were obvious, his voice was soft and fleeting. "Just a few hours ago, just before the Festival was underway, it felt like someone had taken a large swing at my head with a mallet. It felt like it would kill me and I almost passed out. But it was just Piers, that's all. Just him…" The others murmured slightly to themselves worried; Piers' uncle was shaking, smiling and looking like he was laughing at some sick joke.

"Just like his father." Leon stuttered, tears of pain welling up in the Ancient man's eyes, as he began chuckling "Hailey felt the same thing too, right when it happened, thought she was going to die, she was his closest kin that's why. His wife, b-but Piers didn't feel anything, his own son, h-he was sick afterwards, but tha-that was all. Didn't know what was happening really, not even you, Majesty." The worry in Hydros' eyes increased as Lunpa bit his lip; both seemed to have realized something the Adepts didn't know. Mia felt her own eyes widen slightly as well as she recognized how Leon was acting.

_'He's nearly insane with grief,'_ She thought as the knowledge sunk in. _'But how would he know if Piers was dead though?'_

"No one knew right up until he signed it. We were all in the dark even after he died too…" The mood tensed immensely at his words, tears streaming down his face as he laughed and wept at the same time. Mia didn't hear what the others were saying as realization slapped her in the face.

_'I need the name of the person I trust most on the Bond.'_ Piers' word echoed in her mind as she pulled her knees up to her face, shaking her head, denying any possibility that he'd sealed his own fate to see them all safe.

_'They have to be strong enough to keep me alive during this, _'Sleep of Pain'_ or whatever it is.'_ He'd done this to save them all, that's why he mentioned them, and bartered for their safety.

_'They had the Bond this whole time, waiting; there's no way I could have gotten one of you to sign it.'_ Oh gods, Piers…


	10. And You Breathe Again

**Chapter 10**

And You Breathe Again

Piers sat silently up against the wall in the cramped space, his hands tied behind his back as an extra precaution against anything he might try. His psynergy though, was still available to him. The three thick stone walls were rendered useless by the gaping hole in the forth, it would be a tight squeeze, but Piers would have fit through.

The waves echoed through the caverns, even had they not been there sleep would have only been a joke for him. Outside he had a pleasant view of the ruins. Without moving from his current position he could see the broken pillars that had at one time lined the city streets, even the place where he and his friends had stopped for lunch that time they'd explored Ancient Lemuria.

Piers stopped thinking about his friends, he rolled his shoulders slightly to ease the tension building up, flexing his fingers too keep the blood flowing. Not that it would matter really, wouldn't be too long now.

None of them would leave; he knew that for a fact. They'd try to organize some sort of rescue; that was what they did. They didn't leave people behind, although he wished they'd start. He hoped that Mia couldn't remember where they'd been held; just as much as he prayed he'd gotten her the antidote in time. If they didn't know where he was, then they couldn't get hurt trying to save him.

_'Not that anyone can save me from this,'_ He thought with a fake, emotionless smile, the leather thongs bit into his flesh, and he'd been thrown into the wall a few times. There was no one guarding the door to his cell, hell, it probably wasn't even locked, and they hadn't thought to patch up the whole in the wall. Piers knew it was all just there to mock him, and he knew it was doing a damn good job.

He shifted in the dim light again, not for his arms this time, but in a vain attempt to loosen the metal collar around his neck. The cold metal sending chills though his entire body. At least, that's what it _felt_ like…

_--**Flashback**-- _

_Piers watched silently as two of the men carried Mia's unmoving form from the room, and out down the passage. _

_"I wonder if Hatred affects the Bond in any way." The other man purred, entirely pleased with himself. Piers stood up in one fluid motion, his expression stony as he faced the man who had brought him here. _

_"I wouldn't know." He replied crisply, "I've never had to do such a thing with a snake before, or any other cold-blooded reptile for that matter." The other man laughed harshly, mirth never reaching cold black eyes. _

_"Flattery will get you no-where, boy." He said, striding proudly towards the large rough wooden desk. "And don't try telling me you might be older neither, I know for a _**fact**_ that I am much older than you." He continued, sliding a leather tube out from the small case that rested near the small candle. Holding it up in the light, he took a good long look at it, the tube itself was unremarkable. Nothing at all hinting at what it contained, _

_"Fools," The man muttered, his face half in shadows "They had it stored away with a bunch of other scriptures, its only purpose to sit there gathering dust for another millennia!" He shook his head violently, setting the tube down gently as Piers walked over and placed his hands on the table top. _

_"Let's just get this over and done with, shall we?" He said softly, his voice blank of all emotion, every fiber of his being screaming against what he was about to do. The other man looked up from where he was fiddling with the lid, a sly smile playing across his features. _

_"Eager, are we? Or just unwilling to delay the inevitable?" The way his words seemed clipped at the end grated on Piers' nerves as the other man succeeded in opening the case and slipped the contents out. The Adept was swamped with dread as the ancient paper glittered slightly in the candle-light, a few pieces falling away under the man's gentle touch. _

_As he pulled it out completely though, Piers suddenly felt weak, his vision blurred slightly and he leaned a heavily on the table as the wounds broke open slightly, his blood seeping through the wrappings and his shirt. As he bled though, the scroll seemed to mend itself, the brown color seeping away until it shone with a light of its own, mesmerizing and powerful in a way that reminded him of the Golden Sun. The other man looked up, his thin lips pulling back into a mocking sneer _

_"So, I was right this time." He said amused as the scroll continued to repair itself, unrolling the document completely, he turned it for Piers to see what was written. The Mercury-Adept waited a few moments until his vision cleared before looking down at it. Written in thin black strokes, he read the first few lines of the prophecy that was the source of all this. Down near the bottom was a large blank space. reading up just before it were the words _'Terms and Conditions of the Binding'_. What legal terms, maybe lawyers really were devil spawn… A fine silver pen had been rolled up inside the scroll, a simple shaft of silver with a nub at the end. But Piers also noticed miniscule spines along one edge. _

_"Well?" The other man simply stood there, apparently waiting for Piers, the man snatched the scroll off the desk, turning it over, he read off of it. 'If in any case where the Master is unable to survive the ordeals of the testing, the powers shall then pass to the second name on the Bond. The Second shall then continue the ordeals where the First fell. A new Second shall be chosen should such an event occur.'" Without touching the pen, the man then set the scroll back down. _

"_My name is the Second, Boy, I'm not going to throw my life away when I'm so close to my goal." He batted the pen towards him, not touching the metal for more than an instant. "You know the terms we have agreed too, I hope you see no problem with being the one to write them out." Piers met the other man's smile with his own glare. Snatching up the pen; he wasn't at all surprised when the small spines seemed to grow in order to draw blood. _

_"Be sure you're specific with the conditions, Boy, you don't want anything unexpected too happen now do you? No… accidents?" Piers glared darkly at the other man as he bit his lip against the sharp needles. Placing the nub firmly on the paper, he began to write. _

_'The Scholar Kraden of Vale, Venus-Adepts Felix and Isaac of Vale, Mars-Adepts Jenna and Garet of Vale, the Jupiter-Adepts Ivan of Contigo and Kalay, and Sheba of Lalivero, as well as the Mercury-Adept Mia of Imil, are to be allowed to exit the Sea of Time unharmed with no assistance from any under orders of the Second. They will not be harmed in any way, shape, or form _**outside of** _the Sea Of Time_**Nor will _any_ citizen of Lemuria, _not_ excluding Lunpa the Explorer **within** the Sea**. If there is **_any_** breach in contract, the Second will loose **_all_ **rights to the Power of the Trials.'

_Underneath Piers scribbled his name in his own blood, before slamming the pen down hard and fought the urge to cradle his shaking, bloody hand. The other man's dark eyes scanned the words, nodding solemnly. Picking up the bloody pen gingerly, he looked back up at Piers, _

_"Now let's see if your long-standing hatred of me makes this experience any more memorable." His smile never touched his dark eyes as he bent down and, in blood, wrote his name on the small line next to Piers'. _

_Piers' world exploded into agony as his mind was assaulted by unseen powers. Part of him burned as if drenched in scalding water, while his lungs felt like they were being crushed as he drowned in his own pain. _

_Piers fell to his knees, refusing to scream as he felt, more than saw, the bond taking shape. A wrist-thick rope of his own soul and that of his captor interweaving and connecting them both, the golden parchment flying up and wrapping itself around the two strands, fusing them together. Dimly he could feel, as this was supposed to be created by two people who trusted each-other with their lives, how the power tried to form itself into a mutual bond for them both, but how the other man's lust for power and his own fear for his friends forced his end to become a noose. _

_The pain abated slowly, and Piers was left with the sensation of a heavy collar around his neck, he reached up with one hand, but met only his own skin as he gasped for air. He heard the other man's harsh laughter across from him, before two more men came and bound his hands though, he heard, "I suppose hatred has everything to do with the Bond, doesn't it, lad?" _

_The Golden Bond, a collar around a dog's neck, with the other man as his master. _

**_--End Flashback--_**

Piers shifted uncomfortably again against the wall, the waves echoing rhythmically from the outside of the island. He snorted as he felt vast amounts of contempt through his end of the Bond. This man was going too do to Piers what he had his father before him, only this time he wasn't going to fail.

_'He's going to kill me.'_ Piers thought, oddly resigned to, what he supposed, was his fate. He'd signed the Bond on his own; because of this he couldn't feel anything more than his original hatred for the man. _'Maybe the others won't come; I wish I could have said good-bye, but I don't want them to be there when it happens. I don't want to see the look on my Uncle's face when he finds out about this…'_

Rolling onto his side, not trying to sleep, he'd never be able to manage it with the constant knowledge of that bastard. He tried to ignore the tight sensation of the bond. It was a noose around his neck, and Piers was just waiting for that trapdoor to fall through and strangle him…

--------------------------------------

Mia stood out on the swaying deck of the ship, Lunpa and Hydros had left a few hours ago, the others were all in bed. It had been more than slightly difficult to get out of bed and out on deck without help from the others, or without waking any of them, but she hadn't been able to take being inside, warm and safe anymore…

_'Before Piers, there were three false Masters, and yet no one thought to mention that all three were in Piers' family…'_ She thought, glancing down into the murky waters

_'His grandfather and father's brother both survived, but Piers' father didn't… Some one he didn't trust forced him to sign the bond in exchange for the safety of Piers and his mother. He wasn't the prophesized master, and yet he was still forced to sign…'_ Not looking at anything in particular of down the caves, she didn't realize she was staring straight in the direction of Ancient Lemuria.

_'Piers' mother knew when he signed because she felt the pain the same instant he was forced to, she was one of his closest relations at the time. Leon felt the same pain today as a sign that Piers had done the same, this time, to save us…'_ Her eyes stung and she didn't bother trying to fight the tears very long. There was no one on deck; there was no reason to hide them this time.

_'Piers was still a small child when his father was killed, he died because he didn't trust that person with his life. I know for a fact Piers doesn't trust or maybe even _**know**_ that man in the caverns… The only way to break the Bond is to have some one attack it with the Trident. The Trident is important because it's a symbol of Poseidon's power, if that is done, any power will go to the Second, because if the Bond is severed and there's no one ready to re-sign it then… Piers will die…'_ Mia gripped the railing as hard as she could as she tried not to cry out loud.

The ship would be finished tomorrow, and they had no idea what to do. The bond made like this gave one member power over the other. If they didn't deliver it, then there was an excellent chance that this person would just let Piers be killed in the trials. So not going wasn't about to change anything, it would actually be more humane to just give the Trident over…

But they couldn't do that… There was _something_ they could do to save him, one _real_ way they could give Piers a chance to live…

They just didn't know what it was…


	11. But You Do Not See

**

* * *

**

Chapter 11 

But You Do Not See 

It took Mia a few minutes to figure out what had woken her up, after she'd come back inside from the top deck, she had fallen right into a fitful sleep. Rolling over, she perked up again as she picked out the sound of some one shouting above the constant creeks and groans of the ship. Mia was used to the usual argument on board the ship. Jenna and Garet both loved to voice their opinions, so it was not uncommon for the two to start yell at some one, or even each other. But…

The Mercury-Adept sat up straight in her bed; she closed her eyes and listened to the muffled voices coming from the main cabin.

_'Is that… Felix?'_ She thought, ignoring the cold as she pushed aside the covers and climbed out of bed. It was still early and the fire in the main cabin must not have had enough time yet to heat the ship, so she just wrapped one of the thick quilts around her shoulders and walked out and down the hall.

_'Defiantly Felix.'_ She thought as she picked up her pace a bit, as far as she could remember, Felix yelled even less than Isaac unless it was in the middle of a battle. So the fact that Isaac and Felix seemed to be the only one's shouting was too tempting to ignore.

Mia was more than slightly surprised when she opened the door to the cabin, and immediately spotted the two Venus-Adepts standing in the middle of the room, shouting at the tops of their lungs at each other, neither one forming a coherent word other than the other man's name.

Jenna and the others were staring unabashedly from where they sat near the table; Sheba still holding the spoon she had been using to dish up Ivan's breakfast. The other Jupriter-Adept didn't seem to mind that his breakfast was cooling quickly only inches above his bowl, anymore than Garet seemed to notice the piece of bacon hanging from his fork in front of him, mouth wide open to gape at them both. Jenna was the first one to look away and see Mia standing there. Leaving Kraden who was sitting, staring wide-eyed at the two, she motioned for Mia to come take a seat at the table. 

"I have no idea." Jenna said quietly before Mia even opened her mouth to ask what they were fighting about.

"Hell can freeze over for all I care! We are _not_ leaving him behind!" Felix roared, the others jumped at the force behind his words. Isaac took a hesitant step back before steeling his resolve and meeting Felix's rage with his own.

"I didn't say we would leave him behind!" He shouted back, looking Felix in the eye, "We make it **_look_** like we're leaving and double back when they think we're gone! Then we follow them back to wherever they're keeping Piers!"

"And then lose them in the caverns!" Felix interrupted, "Isaac it's a _maze_ down there! If we lose sight of them for a **_moment_** then Piers is a goner! And besides!" The Venus-Adept threw his arms in the air and turned his back on Isaac. Pacing, he continued, "Whoever the hell made him sign holds power over him! If we _do_ manage to corner them somewhere, follow them all the way to the end, then Piers is their escape route! We have _nothing_ they wantl even now when we still have the Trident it's **_nothing_**" Isaac stood there a moment, mouth opening and closing, but not saying anything. Finally, he just closed his mouth and looked away.

"We have to do _something…_" He said quietly, Mia looked down at her hands folded neatly in her lap.

"I know…" Felix replied softly; they could hear the workmen coming up on deck, "We just don't have that much time to think it through…" As the two regained their seats at the table, the meal was finished in silence.

* * *

"Rise and shine, lad; it's almost time for you to say good-bye to your little friends out there…"

* * *

Ivan walked along side Mia, Garet and Isaac were in front of them, Lunpa was bringing up the rear and Hydros was in front, leading them through the dank caverns. 

"Are you sure that this will work?" The King asked, looking over his shoulder in the dim light. The Jupiter-Adept saw Isaac shrug ahead of him. Kite shifted nervously on Ivan's shoulder.

"We hope it will." The Djinni said softly, as they continued down through the maze-like caves.

* * *

Jenna stood on deck, waiting until it brushed up against the side of the dock as Felix maneuvered the vessel forwards. It was well passed lunch and she was anxious and yet fearful at the same time. If this didn't work, Piers wouldn't have a prayer.

Sheba and Kraden came out on deck, Leon followed closely behind. They hadn't been able to convince the Lemurian too stay inside the city after he'd found out what they were going to do. He wasn't going to miss-out on, what could possibly be, his last chance too see his nephew alive.

_'If this doesn't work, then we resort to Isaac's first plan. Run after them and make up stuff as we go along.'_ Jenna thought; she swallowed as her stomach felt knotted. _'This had better work…'_ As the ship came to a halt, they made there way down the ramp and started into Ancient Lemuria.

Felix led them through the ruins, his dark eyes scanning the fallen pillars, in his left hand he held Poseidon's Trident, and he fingered his Sol Blade with his right. They walked in silence, only their foot-steps echoing in the cavernous space. As they reached the lake, Felix motioned for them to stay hidden amongst the debris as he walked out and scanned the area.

Jenna noticed Sheba fidgeting from where she crouched beside Kraden, maybe they wouldn't come until _after_ they'd left the Trident. It wasn't productive thinking, but there wasn't much else. Jenna perked up as she saw a flash of red from across the lake. Isaac and the others were waiting.

"Just leave it."

Jenna jumped at the sound and Sheba clamped a hand over her own mouth to keep from shrieking as Piers appeared out of nowhere off to Felix's left. Felix had been surprised as well, at Piers' voice he had whipped out the Sol-Blade and had it held out in front of him, ready to use. Once he recognized the other Adept though, he relaxed considerably and replaced the blade.

At first glance, Piers looked like he always had, strong and proud. But the longer he stood there, the more Jenna noticed how he kept shifting his weight uncertainly, and how his eyes kept darting around constantly. The front of his shirt was bloody, meaning the wounds had broken open recently. He didn't look _afraid_ exactly, but much less sure of himself, his eyes held little emotion at all. Golden orbs blank and, almost uncaring…

"Just, leave it there…" He repeated, gesturing towards the Trident. Felix worried his lip as he set it down between them both. "Where are the others?" Piers asked, not making a move towards the weapon. Felix gave his friend a sympathetic glance.

"They're here in the ruins." He said simply, Piers just nodded,

"Don't try anything." The Lemurian said, looking away "There's nothing any of you can do about this." Jenna felt something cold seep into her stomach; Piers wasn't joking, he wasn't bluffing, there was no hope in his voice. He was just willing to let himself _die_.

That sense of foreboding was quickly beaten back as anger surged up inside her. Since when did they go around giving up!? What was Piers thinking? Felix could yell if the situation called for it, and he could be stubborn as hell, but just because he was their leader did **_NOT_** mean they were just going to turn around and forget just because Felix told them to! And judging by how violently Felix had reacted this morning, they'd probably be old and grey before Piers convinced his friend to leave like that.

"Piers," Jenna almost fell back as Leon came out from behind the pillar he had been crouched behind. Piers' eyed widened as Leon stepped out,

"U-Uncle…" He croaked, taking a hesitant step backwards; Jenna noticed a hint of fear slipping into his eyes. Piers tensed suddenly as Leon took a step forward, hand outstretched to him. When he was only a few feet from him, Piers doubled over suddenly in pain as fresh blood seeped through his shirt.

"Don't come any closer." Piers said hoarsely, gasping from breath as both Felix and Leon moved forwards, both taking a step back at the order. Piers placed a hand around his throat, "He's just doing this to hurt you; don't come closer or it'll just get worse…" He choked; he looked as if some one were strangling him.

"Piers, what—"

"Give me the Trident." Piers whispered, cutting Felix off, "And get out of Lemuria, all of you." Leon looked completely lost as Felix retrieved the three-pronged weapon and handed it to Piers. The Mercury-Adept grabbed the handle, one arm still wrapped around his stomach as he tried to get to his feet. He glanced momentarily at his uncle.

"I'm sorry…" He said softly, backing up slightly, his breathing was still labored as he looked away again and continued to back up. "I'm… so sorry…" Piers vanished into the shadows of the Ruins. Felix came forwards placed a hand on Leon's shoulder, Jenna placed her head on the fallen pillar in front of her and closed her eyes. It was all up to the Djinn now…

* * *

_'Note to self.'_ Kite thought as he followed Spring through the piles of rubble and fallen pillars, _'The next time a Mercury-Djinn comes up with a plan, and then a Mars-Djinn _**supports**_ that plan; it's a trap.'_

_'Oh quit complaining, Kite!'_ Blitz said through the Mind-Link, she sounded thoroughly annoyed, _'We can_**all**_ hear you, and don't think Ivan and the other's can't as well!'_ Kite muttered quietly under his breath as he hovered over a small pile of dusty bricks. Scanning the area quickly, he felt his small heart jump into his throat before diving back down; Spring gave him a quizzing glance as he did so.

_'I found them!'_ He shouted at the others,

_'Where? Jenna and all of us need to know!'_ Cannon said urgently, all the other Djinn piping up as well,

_'In front of the fountain! I just saw two guys walk past, they sure didn't look Lemurian!'_ He replied,

_'How can you be sure?'_ Flint asked; the message was weak, but gaining strength as he seemed to be relaying the information to Isaac.

_'Well now, other then the fact that they were wearing cloths from _**Gondowan**_ and had _**dark**_ hair, I suppose I can't really be sure.'_ He replied dryly, the others not taking the joke very well, Spring especially, seeing as how she was just sitting there glaring golden daggers at him.

_'Felix wants to know why men from Gondowan would be here in Lemuria,'_ Echo said,

_'Yeah, Lunpa and Hydros are getting scary; they want to know _**how**_ men from that part of the world got inside.'_ Forge piped in, Kite felt a slight tinge of annoyance,

_'I see them first and now everyone expects me to have all the answers, **great**.'_ he thought sourly,

_'We heard that!'_ Kite was about to respond when there was a large _'thunk'_ behind them. Spring jumped up on him to keep his instincts from kicking in and have him give away their positions by running around like a maniac. The panic subsided quickly and the two Djinn turned around. Peaking over the bricks, they spotted a large travel-pack.

_'I call the pocket on the Right.'_ Spring said, glancing back at him, Kite shrugged,

_'As long as I don't have to share; ladies first.'_ The two each took a deep breath before scampering forwards and diving into two of the small pockets in the packs. Kite gagged at the stench of spoiled fruit as he came up and poked his head out the opening; Spring poked out in the other pocket, said spoiled fruit stuck too one of her horns.

_'Remember to stick to the plan, you two.'_ Meld reminded them, _'And make sure we can find the trial to!'_

Kite was about to respond but was cut off unexpectedly when the pack gave a lurch as whoever it belonged to heaved it back up and flung it over their shoulder.

"Damn thing gets heavier every time I pick it up." A man grumbled to his companion, the other man gave a bark of laughter,

"Then don't put it down again, you dolt." There was the sound of gravel crunching under boots as both men fell silent.

"Are you two quite finished?" A man asked, Kite cursed his lack of view, the voice tickled something in the back of his mind, but he couldn't get a grip on it. The pack shifted slightly as the man holding it adjusted the strap over his shoulder, cautiously, he spoke up,

"So you just kill this guy with that Trident you got there, and you become the most powerful man on Weyard?" He asked nervously, Kite glanced over and saw Spring cringe slightly.

"Yes, we've been over this before. One of you destroys the Bond, and I become the Master of Weyard's water." The way the words seemed clipped irked Kite to no end; He _had_ heard that voice before, he just couldn't put a name to the voice. There was a sound of some one stumbling slightly, and the other man spoke up,

"Hey, he looks pretty bloody; he ain't gonna die on you before the Trials, is he?" Spring squeezed her eyes shut and Kite saw tears bubbling up,

_'Don't worry, Spring, he'll be fine.'_ He thought; only realizing his mistake after it was too late. Piers' eight other Djinn perked up instantly at the remark; and Kite had to focus deeply to block them all out until they were just small voices he could barley hear. Spring glanced over and nodded slightly, both settling back into the leather packs as they began to move.

"But sir," One man said skittishly, "How can that happen when you aren't even a Mercury-Adept?" There was a sound of some one sighing, Kite then jumped as he heard Piers' voice,

"It doesn't matter," The Adept replied blankly, "As long as his name is on it, he'll get the power, no matter that it's against his own Element."

"Ah, so you decide to speak at last, do you?" The man who was leading them said, pretending to marvel at the fact. "Well, it seems watching me tear your Uncle's heart out has loosened your tongue somewhat. That's good, seeing as how soon you won't be able to talk at all." Kite ground his teeth at the remark, but held his tongue, getting caught wasn't going to do them any good.

The talking subsided quickly, after they really started moving, Spring conjured up a small sphere of psynergy. Careful, so as not to draw attention, she let a large dark blob form and fall from the Sphere, Kite acted quickly to summon small eddies for muffle the sound. The two swiftly formed a pattern, Spring would drop, Kite would smother. They worked as quietly and with as little energy as they could manage, leaving a trail for the others to follow.

"What _is_ that infernal dripping?" The leader cussed, thoroughly annoyed as they came to an abrupt halt. The two Djinn froze.

"Well," Piers said, his tone still level, "Seeing as how you're walking through a cavern filled with water, I think it's safe to say that it's just **_water._**" The lackeys chuckled slightly, but were silenced and tensed as there was a strangled sound, then something like a person slipping.

"Perhaps you should have simply remained _silent_." Was the icy reply, "Get him up and let's go." Kite heard the other lackey moving around as the gravel crunched under-foot. As they started moving again, Kite looked down and gaped at the blood staining the pebbly ground.

_'Oh man, guys,'_ He thought as Spring re-formed the Sphere, _'You had better be able to follow this…'_

* * *

_'Damn it, Felix was right; this place_**is**_ a maze!'_ Isaac thought as he sped down the crumbling ally, Flint giving him directions through the ruins. After they'd seen Piers vanish into the shadows, they'd split up separately using the Djinn Mind-Link as a way to keep tabs on each other. Two Djinn to a person, the extra's all going off in pairs.

_' Flint, how far are we from the fountain?'_ He thought, Flint took a few moments, as he spoke to the other Djinn

_'The Lake ought to be on the other side of that wall right in front of you Isaac.'_ The Djinn replied. Isaac scrambled over the dusty wall as a few bricks came loose under him. Landing silently on his feet, he scanned the banks quickly as he moved back against the ruins,

_'Damn it, if I get lost and can't help out, I won't be able to live this down!'_ He thought harshly, still searching for anything to mark where Kite and Spring had been.

"Look there!" Vine yelped as she pushed her way out, Isaac looked down at where the Djinni was half out of his arm, surrounded by an odd glowing light. Vine was pointing towards a large building that seemed built into the cavern wall, the door was cut off but for a thin walkway. Isaac remembered the building to be the first one he and the others had seen when they'd come down from the caves. Dimly, Isaac was able to make out four retreating figures.

_'Right under our nose's the whole time!'_ He thought angrily, _'Damn it, Flint, Vine, quick; tell the other's where they're headed! Now!'_ Vine nodded and melded back into him, Isaac felt the whirl-wind of activity as the Djinn relayed the information to everyone else.

Isaac scrambled back up the wall and over; and immediately began searching for a way to get back to that building by the lake.

* * *

Mia ran down through the crumbling streets with the rest of the Djinn behind her,

_'Hurry Mia! Hurry!'_ Fizz urged as she stopped and leaned against a mound of bricks, to catch her breath.

_'Hush up, Fizz!'_ Mist berated, _'She's still weak from that poison!'_

"Stop arguing! All of you!" Mia panted, annoyed by the constant yammering. "Now, what direction is that building, Shade?" Said Mercury-Djinn ran up and jumped up the side of one wall, glancing around before jabbing her tail in the direction Mia had already been going,

"Straight and take a right!" She directed, leaping back down as Mia started moving again. After a few more minutes of running, Mia's slipped and fell over a slick spot on the ground.

"Owe… what was that?" She moaned, glancing down at her foot she gave a start, it wasn't plain old water, but a type of thick blue syrup which sang of water energies.

_'Well at least we found the trail…'_ She thought as she climbed to her feet,

"Mia you okay?!" Mia looked over her shoulder and saw Garet, Hydros, and Lunpa running down through the rubble.

"Yeah, I'm fine," She called back, "I found out which way they're going too!" Garet stopped next to her and helped her to her feet,

"Do you know where the others are in the Ruins?" He asked, Forge popping his head out of Garet's shoulder,

"He won't believe us, says we're lying." The Djinni said quickly before vanishing again, Mia didn't pay him any mind as the Djinn set to her started giving out the other's locations.

"Felix and Jenna met up again and are some where behind you, Ivan and Sheba are making their way over to this part, Isaac's nearing the walk-way to get to that building with Kraden," Hydros nodded and seemed to think for a moment.

"I suggest we try to find Isaac first since he seems to be the one closest to where we're trying to go, what do you think, Lunpa?" Garet merely nodded in agreement as Lunpa mulled for a few moments, Mia wasn't as quick agree either.

"I think it would be best to follow Kite and Shade's trail really." She said, gesturing to the puddles that led away through the ruins, "It might be maze-like in there, I'd feel better having them guide us through." Lunpa, still silent, nodded and the other two agreed as well. Together, the four continued at a hard pace through the disheveled city.

It didn't take all that long, what with the Djinn in constant communication, for the others to meet up with them as they followed the trial left behind. Jenna and Felix came up running after a few minutes, Isaac close behind with an exhausted but stubborn Kraden. Leon met up with them just before Ivan and Sheba ran past an abandoned statue to join the group. All members where dusty, dirty, and tried, but all the more determined too help Piers.

They traveled without speaking over piles of debris until finally they reached the small walkway leading to the open door. The wooden double doors had rotted away with time, leaving the foyer for them to just walk right on into.

The trail seemed to lean towards each of the rooms going down through the building, but once it reached a door-way it would stop and start up again a few feet down the hall.

"They were checking the rooms for anything they'd forgotten," Hydros commented, Mia looked over at where the King was standing over a rough table, Mia oddly recognized it as the one she had seen while poisoned. "Whatever they're planning, it's happening now, no more waiting, they know we're here." He continued, there was a stack of scrolls on the desk, whom-ever had planned this hadn't thought them important enough to bring along. Hydros leafed through a few documents and notes the person had written

"Lunpa." Hydros spoke as Ivan and Sheba scouted ahead with _'Reveal'_ to make sure no surprises were waiting for them. Lunpa walked over and Hydros pointed to something on one of the papers, "Does this look familiar to you by any chance?" the King asked, the explorer took the parchment from him and rubbed his chin as he read.

"Yes actually…" he said, mussing over it, "But I can't remember from where or what…"

The two continued too shift through what was left, Lunpa's expression froze and he took on a menacing glare as he read off of something, Hydros leaned over and read it as well, confusion washed away as furry was painted across his features.

"Felix." The king said, Lunpa looking for all-the world like he was going to kill something. The adept came as his name was called, but stopped half-way in the room at the looks on their faces. Hydros held the parchment in one fist, crumpling it, he handed the crushed paper to Felix who unrolled it gingerly and read whatever it was, Felix glared as Hydros spoke again,

"No matter what it takes, Young Man." The king said frigidly, "I want this man dead." Felix nodded and passed whatever was on the scroll to a bemused Isaac. The paper made it's way around to all of them, coming at last to Mia as Ivan and Sheba came back to report that the trail ended with a Teleport Lapis.

Mia glanced down at the parchment, written in dry and blackening blood it said;

_'The master will fall, in all his glory; his blood-line will then wither. Can't fight destiny now can you? I'll make sure he lives as long as possible.'_

With this taunt waved in their faces, they charged down the halls following the trail left by the Djinn. It didn't matter if they were too late or not, they would beat this man's face in no matter what was happening.

* * *

"Ah, well, we're here." Kite squirmed around inside the tight pocket, still uncoordinated since the Lapis,

_'I guess it was kinda dumb to think there was only the one Teleport Stone.'_ he thought, he was un-nerved when the others didn't reply; they were to far away now for them too speak with one other.

The party had only gone down one passage, straight all the way with a slight decent with no adjoining passages, because of this, they hadn't seen a reason to keep leaving a trail, plus there was no water as far as they could tell and the dripping would have caused suspicion.

But now, as Kite squirmed around uselessly, he noticed an odd blue light in front of them. There was a loud groaning as the light grew brighter, the man holding the pack took a step back and Kite could tell from his shadow that he covered his eyes. The light didn't fade as Kite heard a sound of water splashing, as if there were fountains all around. A small trickle of pristine water seeped past the man holding the Djinn up. Neither Spirit tried to move as they heard the distinct sneer in the leader's voice as he said;

"Welcome to Mercury Lighthouse, Boy. I hope you enjoy your stay."

* * *


	12. They Grab You Once More

**Chapter 12  
**  
They Grab You Once More

They ran down the halls, they didn't stop running until they reached the Lapis engraved into the stone floor. Gathering everyone in the center, Mia pulled out the small black crystal and looked at them all,

"Ready?" She asked, they stood there gasping for breath, each nodding in agreement. Mia readied her psynegry and threaded it through the stone to take them through to the other side.

-----------------------------------------------------

Mercury Lighthouse…

He'd never seen the Lighthouse dedicated to his own Element before. Mia had told him about it of course, but he'd never seen it, much less been inside it; if inside was really where he was.

It looked nothing like what Mia had described, not like what he'd seen from afar in Imil when they'd visited, it wasn't even like Jupiter of Mars Lighthouses, and even they had resembled each other some what. It was a large cavern reaching up hundreds, from where he stood perhaps thousands, of feet up. He had to strain his neck before he could see the top. Large majestic fountains decorated the ground, breath-taking water-falls cascading down the pearly smooth walls to collect in the cavern's inclined floor, only then to flow around as if creating small smooth sand-bars made of that same alabaster rock.

Not quite in the center, but pushed up against the far was slightly, as a towering Jade statue in the form of a woman in billowing robes. A placid expression carved along the lines of her face. She held her hands on front of her, a large Sphere suspended in the space between them. Water gushed from the top and spilled over the sides, seemingly endless amounts of water supplying the never ending cannels and streams around her. The entire space was bathed in ghostly blue light, far above them Piers could see nothing but pure blue light streaming down upon them.

Amidst the tranquility of the fountains, he could feel the power of Mercury's beacon shining down from up where he supposed was the Aerie. In this place he could almost forget the numb pain of the wounds in his stomach, forget the chill of the Bond around his neck.

"Up there, Boy, that's where you're going." Came that same sneering voice, as the solid ice doors, twenty feet tall slammed shut behind them. Piers glanced over his shoulder to give the man a haughty glare before following the direction one garnered finger was pointing.

Up under the sphere the statue held was another enclave in the stone where the water collected before over-flowing into the streams. Piers didn't know whether it had been built that way or was a result of hundreds of years of the icy waters pounding the smooth surface.

"Hurry-up now, lad, no time to waste," He said, almost dancing in anticipation. Piers didn't make a move towards the statue of the Water Goddess, he just stood there, "Feeling stubborn again are we? Well, it makes no difference to me boy." Piers cringed at the sudden tightness around his stomach, swaying slightly in pain as the wounds were forced open again by the other man. His vision blurred as he fell to his knees, he saw crimson as his blood seeped down onto the white stone beneath him.

Two pairs of strong arms forced him to his feet again and started dragging him towards the statue. The other man called for them to stop just before the enclave, giving Piers had a chance to re-claim his footing and stand up straight.

"Don't touch that water in the inner circle if you value your lives, you fools." The other man sneered, "Only the boy here will walk into the Goddess's embrace." Piers heard the other man take in a sharp breath, anger exploding through the Bond. One of the men turned at the sound, his back to Piers; the source of the anger revealed as Kite and Spring waved from where they sat in the back pockets.

"You—" Surprised, Piers was cut off as pain tore through him, tearing at his insides as he fell to the ground, Spring cried out in alarm and sped from the pocket as Kite summoned up a large whirl-wind to blow back the two startled men.

"Did you really think that there was any chance they could save your worthless hide, you pathetic little wretch?!" The man screamed in outrage, not lessening his grip with the Bond as he rushed forwards and forced Piers up by the neck, batting away Spring as if the Djinni were nothing.

"_MEGGIDO!_" There was a deafening crash behind them as the doors were shattered by Felix's attack, monumental chunks of ice flying through the air half-melted by the blow. Still over-come with agony, Piers found himself under the other man's control as he was turned to see his friends rushing in through the blasted door, Hydros, Lunpa and his uncle among them.

As they took in their surroundings, they all froze as they saw the man standing there, while he himself bled freely and fought not to scream.

Babi.

--------------------------------------------

"B-but you're _dead_!" Isaac shouted at a complete and utter loss as Mia and the other's stood staring at the man who was the cause of all this mayhem. The two Tolbian lackies were picking themselves up from where Kite had blasted them, Babi gave a sharp laugh, one hand still holding up a struggling Piers before the eighty-foot statue.

"And who told you that?" He asked, his clipped tone mocking Mia, it may not have made a difference, but she should have been able to recognize his voice in the caves. _"Alex?"_ He taunted, "Did you ever question him at all? Did you _really_ think I could be brought down by time so easily? You lot really are a bunch of fools to have believed that half-wit story!" Babi threw back his head in a bought of medicinal laughter.

Glancing around her companions briefly, Mia's eyes froze on Lunpa, Babi's old companion looked ready to burst. Rushing forwards before any the Adepts or even Babi could prepare, the old explorer tackled his former companion to the ground, sending Piers back and into the waters behind him.

"Why you sniveling, double-crossing, murdering, buck-toothed, balding, chicken-shit excuse for a man! I'll kill you, Babi, I swear I will!" He swore, each insult met with a powerful blow to the other man's face.

Garet shouted a warning as the two whom Babi had brought turned out to be Adepts, though they were poorly trained. They rushed forwards and attacked as about twelve more appeared around the cavern. Jenna's hands began to glow before a dragon-shaped plume of flame reared up and dove down on three of them. Isaac and Felix charged forwards as one as the lighthouse floor rumbled before the alabaster flooring was torn apart by savage earthen spires. Mia ran forwards ignoring fighting as she scrambled up the smooth rock, Leon and Hydros coming up behind her.

"Don't touch the water!" Hydros warned sharply as they came up to Piers, Mia looked down and noticed that it was glowing oddly, eddies seemed to have wrapped themselves around Piers' wrists and anywhere else he came in contact with the clear liquid. He was directly underneath the huge Orb the Goddess held, he held his head down, eyes staring at nothing as mass amounts of water spilling over and around him. Mia quickly noticed how the beads began to fall more thickly, forming a screen that seemed to be cutting Piers off from them, an odd power pulsing through the air around him.

"Piers? Piers, can you move?" She asked anxiously, worry creeping into her voice. Beside her, Leon looked back at the King anxiously.

"What's wrong with him, Majesty? What is this all supposed too do to him?" Hydros looked lost for a moment, searching old memories as Mia tried again to get Piers' attention,

"Piers," She said softly, "Piers, look at me, can you even hear me? Piers?" Mia looked back over her shoulder just in time to see Babi throw Lunpa off him.

Getting swiftly to his feet, Babi abruptly began kicking his old traveling partner where he lay fighting to get up. Leon followed her gaze and rose gingerly, just as Babi stopped for a moment to wipe away the blood from his split-lip, Leon rammed into him from the side, over-powering the frail man instantly,

"That power is _mine_!" Babi roared defiantly. "Destroy the Bond you fools! **_NOW!_**" Mia glanced around and spotted one of the men breaking away from where her friends were fighting, ducking down; the man grabbed for something unseen in the shallows. Mia felt her breath hitch as the Trident appeared in his hands. Mia was up in an instant and flung one hand out towards him,

"Ice Horn!" She cried, summoning her Psynergy. The stray air and raw power which hummed through the belly of the lighthouse condensed instantly in a sharp airborn spire which spiraled just in front of her opponent. The man fell screaming in surprise as the Trident slipped from his grasp and skirted away across the pale floor.

Mia whirled around as a loud rumbling filled the air; the men fighting froze, giving Ivan and Sheba a chance to attack with brilliant, harsh bolts of white lightning. With that done, they too stopped to stare as the Orb held between the statue's hands suddenly cracked. Hydros cursed under his breath suddenly as something dawned in his eyes,

"Get him out of there, _now!_" He yelled, Mia rushed back up as blue light spewed out from in between the pieces of the shattering Sphere. The ground below them heaved violently, large shards of rock flying out from the Orb. Mia winced as a small shard imbedded itself in her arm, but she ignored the pain as she and Hydros grabbed Piers' arms to pull him out.

He didn't budge no matter how hard they tried to get him away from the enclave. His hands cemented to the water and Mia knew he wasn't fighting them at all. The water began to bubble, though it gave off no heat. The last of the rock shell was rocketed away, leaving a condensed ball of pure Alchemy suspended in mid-air like the Mercury Beacon. Piers raised his head slowly to look at them.

"Let go, he's going to kill me." He said; his voice blank. Mia balked at Piers before noticing the intense pain in his eyes, and how they just stared blankly past her.

Mia opened her mouth to reply, but before she could form the words the broiling water around Piers instantly rocketed up into the Sphere of power above them. Mia tried to pull back as the water became a vortex around him, but the currents just wrapped themselves around her arms and enveloped her in iciness.

Panic filled her instantly, and she suddenly became aware that she was no-longer holding onto Piers' arm. What felt like a ribbon of water slipped around her throat and began to strangle her, she tried to reach up and fight whatever it was, but found her arms pinned to her sides by the same current. Opening her eyes, Mia saw only blue as she realized she was surrounded by water, her own element was killing her. Two hands gripped her shoulders, and she felt them shove her back roughly. Another pair of hands reached out and grabbed her, and she felt them pull her backwards.

Mia coughed violently in shock; she was lying on the ground in the same cavern as before, soaking from head to toe and shivering as she coughed the water out of her lungs. Hydros was leaning over her with one hand on her shoulder, she realized he was calling her name over and over. Mia sat up and stared at the column of water, through the veil she saw Piers thrashing against the current's grasp as it tried to throw him up into the sphere of Alchemy. But his motions were only half-hearted even as his golden eyes shone with stark terror.

"Piers," She breathed, Hydros' expression was pained as they watched, unable to help him.

"Stop him!" Felix cried out suddenly, Mia glanced over her shoulder; there was no time for her to do anything but gape as one of the men raised the Trident over his head and slashed at open air.

Everything was silent, and at first there was nothing; then suddenly the air exploded in a bright flash, momentarily blinding them all. In the midst of the intense light, Mia thought she could make out a chain stretching from where she could see Babi's outline, all the way to where Piers was suspended, the links shattered in the space between them both with the Trident hanging above the shards in mid-air.

The light seemed to collapse in on itself, forming a tight ball of energy before taking on a golden glow. Bursts of light, like from those small fire-sticks on Izumo gave off sharp cracks along the length of the once again hidden Bond, spreading quickly out from where the Trident clattered to the stone floor. Mia followed them with her eyes as the currents around Piers dissipated, leaving him floating in the un-natural column. His eyes widened again as they hit the water and his body gave a spasm of pain. Mia's fear spiked as a trickle of blood floated past his half-open lips, melding into the water as the current gained speed again and trapped his un-moving form once more.

Babi's chilling laughter echoed in her mind as the small golden orb behind her molded itself once more into a scroll and pen before fluttering down to rest on one of the lone islands. Piers' eyes seemed to gloss over as the paper settled on the white stone, the silvery pen rolling away.

Mia spun, rushing to her feet, she didn't see Felix and the others gaping in horror as Piers' apparently life-less body was thrust up toward the power that would surely kill him. She didn't see Babi force Leon off of him, a triumphant sneer pulling at his thin aged face; a sneer that faded quickly as he saw what she was running towards.

"Don't let her—" He was cut off as Garet rammed into him this time, slamming him into one of the ornate fountains and mangling the piping. Mia fell to her knees as she grabbed for the golden paper,

_'When we get down there, do everything you can to keep them from breaking the Bond unless you're directly in-between them.'_ Isaac's voice fluttered through her mind as she scrambled for the pen, ignoring the pain in her arm from the shard. She didn't look up to see the gap between Piers closing swiftly.

_'When they break it, it doesn't matter who it is, get to the Bond, cross out the name, and sign it as fast as you can, when that happens, everyone else focus on keeping the other person clear, ok?'_ The spines in the pen bit sharply and she almost dropped it in surprise. Two more men climbed up and started running towards her,

"Spark Plasma!" Ivan shouted, the electricity doubling in strength from where the two stood in ankle-deep water, Felix ran forwards to help Garet with Babi, murder in their eyes as the cavern shook move violently with each passing breath.

Mia's eyes scanned the flowery black words before she saw the Terms in blood. Ignoring the others she crossed out each line of the agreements, biting her lip against the sharp pain.

"Hurry, Mia!" Spring shrieked hysterically, Mia crossed out Babi's name and scribbled her own above it, her blood making the letters run in together,

"_Piers!_"

**"NO!" **


	13. You Feel Such Pain

**Chapter 13 **

You Feel Such Pain

Jenna walked quietly down the ship's lower deck; it had been a week since the incident in Mercury Lighthouse. Celebrations were still going on inside the city; they were having something called "Fire Works" tonight, along with dancing, contests, food and music. None of the Adepts could stomach the thought of seeing any of it.

_**--Flashback-- **_

"_Hurry, Mia!" Spring shrieked hysterically. Mia crossed out Babi's name and scribbled her own above it, her blood making the letters run in together, _

"Piers!"

_**"NO!" **_

_Leon's cry still hung in the air as the explosion rocketed them all back into the shattered doors. She couldn't tell where the blast had come from, only that the light burned her skin as she tried to cover her face. The light reminded her to much of when the Trident had just severed the Bond, but unlike that blast, the light from this one abated slowly. _

_Garet and Felix were thrown back as Babi shrieked in agony, clawing at his eyes and twisting on the ground, screaming his throat raw. Jenna gave out a small shriek as fire coursed up her arm, the bone shattering as she slammed into one of the numerous fountains, water spraying off in all directions. _

_Looking back towards the Statue, the column still stood, rushing up, but the water's were no longer clear and she couldn't see Piers' shadow at all. Cold dread slipped into her stomach as she saw Mia kneeling where the Bond had been, cradling her head in her hands and rocking back and forth slightly. _

_There was a deafening crash somewhere off in an adjoining cave under the Lighthouse, the thin streams and canals running across the floor began swelling at an alarming rate. _

_They all watched confused as Mia stood suddenly, her back to them. The Mercury Adept walking quickly towards the statue, heedless off the swirling current, Jenna saw her friend shaking slightly as she came up to where Hydros still crouched before the Goddess. Hydros stood and spoke to her, but the words were to quiet for Jenna to pick out above the water. _

_She would have moved farther into the chamber to hear, but ever since they'd blasted the doors down to get in, Jenna could tell she wasn't the only one who felt they'd be intruding in this place devoted to Mia and Piers' Element. Even Kraden didn't seem up to coming farther inside than where Isaac stood in the doorway. _

_Mia moved up to the column, apparently not hearing whatever the King was saying and reached one hand out. As she came in contact with the water it formed itself into a vortex and suddenly lost all of its previous force. The water collapsed down into the enclave, over flowing and drenching the two who stood before it. The water seeped away to reveal Piers floating un-moving in the shallow waters. _

_Whatever had held them back before seemed to retreat as they rushed forward to help. Isaac and Felix, being the only other ones who could heal, taking the lead as Mia and Hydros pulled Piers from the water, Leon was at her side before Jenna could even tell where he'd been, Garet rushed over to help Lunpa up from where he was still sprawled out on the ground. _

_Piers was shaking violently as Mia placed his head in her lap, she stroked his forehead gently, worry painted across her features as Hydros took his hand and tried too speak to him. Jenna watched as Piers' golden eyes, open, were filled with fear, swirls of blue, like oil skimming over water seemed to jump out trying to blind him. _

_"Piers, Piers, it's over, there's nothing left, don't worry," Leon said, Jenna edged over immediately to make room for him, "You're safe now, lad," Leon stuttered as Piers' eyes focused briefly, he shook his head, _

_"Not yet," He said hoarsely, "There's still more, I-I can feel it…" The Beacon far above them seemed to grow brighter while the orb of energy crackled with Alchemy. That odd oil surged up suddenly in Piers' eyes, coating them thickly until they were nearly a solid blue. Mia screamed suddenly, writhing in pain before she fell back in a dead faint, Isaac only just able to catch her in surprise. _

**_--End Flashback--_ **

Jenna stopped in front of Piers' door, in her hands she held a small tray with food and drink laid out. Mia'd woken up soon after they'd gotten her back on the ship, Piers hadn't.

He would wake up for short periods of time before that blue… whatever it was forced it's way back up, and he fell back into that restless sleep. At first when he woke up he seemed to be hurt, he wouldn't look any of them in the eye, but it had grown steadily worse over the passing days.

He'd woken up screaming more than once, since the day after the Lighthouse, every time he'd come too he'd ask them too say it was all a lie. Whatever _'it'_ was, he could never bring himself to say. He was never at peace, though it often times seemed like he was fine and just napping, Mia would always show that wasn't the case.

Her friend worried her as much as Piers did. She was his anchor to reality. Mia'd signed the Bond after it had already been broken, not a kind experience. She was able to feel whatever it was Piers could, the good and the bad… Mia hadn't slept at all, and had barely eaten. It wasn't that Mia was torturing herself, she just didn't eat and _couldn't_ sleep, no matter how much she tried to do either.

Opening the door Jenna poked her head in; everything was the way it had been nearly all week. Leon sat near the foot of Piers' bed, sad eyes watching every move his nephew made, Mia holding one of his hands in her own, eyes never leaving his face for more than a few minutes. Leon was the one who looked up as Jenna came in, he didn't say anything as she set the tray down on one of the small stands in the room.

Glancing out of the corner of her eye, the Mars-Adept looked at her friends. Piers seemed to be resting; his breaths came evenly, his expression soft. His head-dress was folded on the bed's end-table, and he was wearing a white long-sleeve shirt that buttoned up the front. His regular cloths had been covered in blood so long that Sheba didn't think they'd be able to remove the stain, not that Sheba or any of them cared about the cloth, it was just better than worrying out-right about their friends…

Jenna straightened as Mia perked up, Leon getting up quickly to stand beside her. This always happened just before he woke up, Jenna moved over to where her friend sat. Piers' brow furrowed and his breathing became more labored, sweat started beading on his forehead as he turned to the side. He gritted his teeth and shook, the hand Mia was holding instantly lashing out to tightly grip her wrist; he looked feverish as his eyes snapped open, filled with pain.

"Make it stop." He gasped, Jenna took an unthinking step back as Mia leaned forward gripping his hand as she tried to calm him. "Please, help me. Make it stop…" He begged. Jenna had never seen him so hurt before, not when poisoned, or cursed, or anything, he'd never been in this much pain…

It hurt her to much to stay there and watch, she felt cowardly for leaving, but she just couldn't take it. Jenna backed up until she ran up against the door. Turning on her heel she twisted the handle and slipped silently through the small opening. She stood out in the hall, trying to blink away the burning sensation in her eyes, not thinking as she leaned against the closed door.

She looked down the hall just in time to see Felix come walking down with Echo and Meld, Djinn each on one shoulder. Felix paused as he saw her, and the two spirits jumped up and went on their way. Jenna bit her lip as he walked up to her, his dark eyes moving between the door and her face, understanding seeping into them.

"He woke up again." She choked, Felix nodded slightly, the understanding still there. He wrapped one arm around her shoulders and she hugged him back tightly, burying her face into his shoulder.

"Shhh, Jenna, he'll be fine." He said softly, rubbing her back as she cried, "He has Mia on the other end of the Bond now, and all of us here to help as well. He'll make it through this." Jenna relaxed slightly at her brother's words, but she didn't pull away,

"How can we help him at all, when seeing us hurts him?" She asked, throat and tongue thick as she spoke.

"What?" Jenna looked up and saw Felix's confused look,

"I heard her talking to Leon once, she said that when he wakes up, he feels the most pain when he sees any of us and…" Jenna stopped and hugged Felix tighter, the Venus-Adept looked up at the door quickly; his mouth tightening until it was a thin line.

"Let's go out on deck." He suggested, Jenna nodded and they started walking.

Passing through the main cabin, Sheba and Ivan looked up from where they had been talking quietly in the corner; Sheba's eyes were red and her face a bit puffy from crying. Even as they kept walking, Jenna was able to see Ivan holding one of her hands as she rubbed here eyes. Garet sat up at the table, looking glum as Kraden leafed half-heartedly through a large book from inside Lemuria. This really was beginning to take a toll on them all, not just Mia and Piers. In recent days, smiles had become few and far between.

Walking out on deck, Jenna spotted Isaac upon the ship's bow sitting on the Dragon head. Felix still had his arm around her shoulders and guided her the other way,

"I brought you out here to talk in private." He said softly, Jenna nodded and followed him up onto the cabin's roof. Felix settled himself down near the cannon from Loho, Jenna taking a seat beside him. Drawing her knees up to her face; she wrapped her arms around them. They sat for a few moments in silence, Jenna unusually quiet as she drew strength from her brother's strong presence.

"If it hadn't been Mia then; or her now, I have no idea what would have happened." He said softly after a few moments. Jenna gave him a quizzing glance, one which he met with one of those small knowing smiles.

"How much of a difference would it have made?" She asked him,

"Well, if it had been one of us, I don't doubt he still would have caved like he did, but not as quickly, I don't think he would have been as resigned to die like that." he replied, Jenna was still confused,

"That's an evasive answer, what are you-" Jenna cut herself off, slowly understanding what he meant, she smiled sadly,

"He… cares about her then?" She asked, Felix mimicked her smile as he nodded,

"He told me in Prox after the Doom Dragon. I don't know how much he cares exactly, but he told me back then that he wanted to get to know her better now that the quest was over. I think that that's why he didn't want her to be the other name on the Bond, he knew it was painful, and I bet he hated the thought of putting her through all that, through all this." Felix shrugged slightly, a bit uncomfortable spilling his friend's secret,

"Out of us all I think she wants to help him the most though, next to his uncle." Jenna said quietly, resting her chin on her knees. "She cares about him too…" Felix ran one hand back through his bangs, as Isaac moved from his place at the Bow, the Adept making his way indoors as festive music floated from down the caves to the ship.

"Why is it that we only ever figure out how much we care about people, when we're close to losing them and never before?" Felix asked, talking as much to the air around him as to his sister. Glancing back over at her, he put his arm around her shoulders again and she leaned against him. They both remained silent for a moment, but she felt Felix grow tense, Jenna glanced up and saw anger kindling in her brother's dark eyes.

"You're thinking about him again, aren't you?" She said darkly, more statement than question, Felix nodded and looked away.

"If I was some bent old bastard, was thrown against a fountain, and then had my mind ripped apart by some un-seen power, I sure as hell wouldn't be able to get up and walk away." He said fuming. Jenna felt her own anger spark as well.

They'd gone back and searched the cavers for hours after they'd brought Piers and Mia back to the ship. Before Piers had begun experiencing pain like he was now, Mia had told them that she had never seen that part of the Lighthouse before. The only way Babi would be able to get out without his Lapis, would be to scale the cave walls and then squeeze past the Beacon at the top. The chances of that happening were less than slim. Even if he _did_ manage to achieve the impossible; he was still stuck in snow-covered Imil until the thaw in spring.

"I still don't believe he was alive in the first place." Felix sighed, "At least it explained what happened to Isaac's ship. He said he saw the very one in the docks right by the entrance to Ancient Lemuria." Jenna nodded, closing her eyes and resting her head against her brother's shoulder again. Ignoring the slight rocking of the boat, she could remember back to when they'd been in Vale years ago and they'd sit up on their own roof on nights they didn't want to spend with Isaac and Garet.

"There isn't much we can do now," She said softly, thankful that Felix had taken the time to be with her, "I suppose all we can do is be there for Mia?" Felix nodded, and neither one had anything more to say.

-------------------------------------------------------------

"You're a lot like Hailey, you know." Leon said, rubbing Mia's shoulder as she sat next to Piers, still gripping his hand in hers. Mia looked up at him,

"What do you mean?" She asked, Leon smiled sadly, looking back at his nephew.

"When Piers' father was forced to sign, and he succumbed to the Sleep, his wife never left his side once. She refused to leave him while he was in pain. Even if she didn't hold the Bond to help him…" Mia pursed her lips and looked away, letting the conversation die down again.

Mia brought one hand up to rub her temple as she felt Piers' emotions in her own mind. It was like a small knot in the back of her head. When she had first woken up and had found herself back on the ship, she'd been confused; emotions she wasn't feeling bouncing around un-controllably. But after a few hours, after the Bond had had a chance to settle, those pieces had all drifted into that place in the back of her mind. Everything else was still her, but Mia could feel that small part in the back separate from her. She felt she could reach out and touch it if she tried, funnel her aura into the small bundle. Piers seemed to be able to feel it as well; this sleep had a set pattern to it.

The first real thing she'd been able to distinguish from Piers after waking up had been a mixture of dread and confusion. After a short time this had ended and she felt denial and pain flowing through the Bond. What happened next hurt the most, fear and betrayal would over-whelm him, try to drown Piers each time it happened, if he ever screamed while asleep it usually happened then. Though this part was generally short, the pain it caused grew steadily worse each time it repeated itself. What followed had also started becoming longer, but this at least was a comfort; it would all end suddenly, no more pain, no more fear, whatever it was would leave Piers alone. She wouldn't be able to feel anything through the Bond when this happened; Mia guessed this was because he simply didn't feel anything. When it had happened the first few times, this part would end almost instantly; it had only started to grow longer as the pain had increased. The last part before the entire ordeal began all over again was when Piers would wake up.

This small period of time when he could fight off the sleep and the pain long enough had grown smaller. That window of opportunity when he could break through was shrinking; Mia didn't want to think about what would happen if it finally closed…

She found she'd cried more, less when Leon was there with her, but not by much. She felt so useless, she was supposed to _help_ him through all this, yet all she was good for was sitting by his side doing _nothing_. Only when he woke up could she do something, small as she was sure it was. That small portion of him in her skull would flare when he woke. All she found she could do was press her aura around his; it seemed he responded more to that then anything they could say to him. She'd weep when he fall back to sleep. She could feel something cut him off from her, the only way she could imagine she was helping would be sealed off, even though they both tried vainly to keep that from happening to quickly.

Leon shifted in his seat and stood.

"I'm going to go inside and see if his Majesty has found anything." He said as he glanced over at Piers for a good long moment. Without looking over; Mia could tell he saw his Brother-in-Law before he died. Licking his lips nervously, the Lemurian nodded to himself and started for the door, he placed one hand on her shoulder as he walked by.

"You'll see him through this, I know you will. He trusts you, and I know you want to help him. Take heart in that." He said softly, Mia glanced down and nodded slightly. She listened as Leon removed his hand and walked away, his foot-steps faded down the hall, and Mia counted to thirty too make sure he'd gone. Moving from her chair, Mia knelt next to Piers' bed and sat there looking at his face. She stroked his forehead gently as his brows knitted together, anger and a deep sense of hurt coming through the Bond on Mia's end. She blinked back tears as she felt panic making its way through as well; even Piers knew what was coming next…

Getting up, Mia climbed up onto the bed, sitting near the head, she lifted Piers' head up so that it rested on her shoulder, and wrapped her arms around him slightly. In her mind she tried to touch him through the Bond, not backing off as she ran into that hidden wall again. The pain coming through spiked sharply, enough so that Piers bit his lip and rolled his head against her, she felt him trying vainly to reach out to her. Both of them coming so close, but always being forced back by something that, Mia at least, couldn't see.

Tears welled up and blurred her vision; she didn't reach up to wipe them away as they ran down her cheeks. She just _knew_ if she could reach him in his sleep then she'd be able to make this stop. She knew it, but Mia just couldn't make it happen...

Resting her chin on the top of his head, Mia cradled him in her arms. She didn't care that if, under different circumstances, any of them would laugh at her for this, she just couldn't think up anything else to do…

_'Maybe I **am** like his mother,'_ She thought as Piers whimpered in his sleep, the pain she could feel meaning he was screaming wherever he was. Tightening her arms around him, she kept trying to reach him again through the Bond, not caring that she couldn't do it. _'I won't leave the man I love, no matter that, as I am, I can't help him...'_


	14. Is it Truly

**Nips: yes well, I know some pretty twisted people o-O;; Yes, it's been a really great fic so far, my best to date. The end is not as tear-jerk as 'Friends', since this is a fanfiction and they had 7 years on the set XP but I AM hoping to make it emotional. 'Friends' was incredibly sad when it ended, and I'm still going to try for touching/sad if I get an alternate ending done. n-n **

**Piers: Which she won't. n-n**

**Sun: T-T**

CMAK: yes yes, I'll be sure to finish this fic. I planned Hidden Currents for a few weeks before I started writing it out. This next one is still just forming. n-n 

Felix: =-T she hit me eye again with her Cattle prod. 

Felix's mom: T-T You forgot to fold the laundry!!!! 

Felix: =.=;; 

Fire Dragons: o.O;; you SURE you're okay? n-n you just have to keep checking up on me. I'm getting one chapter up every week/week-an-a-half give or take a bought with Writer's Block n-n. 

Host: o-O;; Mountain-load of OOCness in this chapter. You're scaring me with what you make the Adepts do… 

Piers: o-O;; I think I need to work on my people skills if that's what my friends really think of me… 

Sun: T-T I _HATE_ Conservato. But I was confused as to how to start this chappie, it was VERY hard to get them all where I wanted o-O;; Enjoy n-n. 

----------------------------------------------------------------- 

Chapter 14 

Is it Truly 

Hydros sat in his study, musty old papers covering his oaken desk as Lunpa and Kraden shuffled through a stack near the window. None of them speaking as they scanned the ancient texts. 

"Have either of you found anything even _remotely_ connected with what we need?" they king asked, rubbing his eyes tiredly, Lunpa roughly set the scroll he was looking at in the ever-growing pile beside him, Kraden shaking his head as he took another from the dwindling one beside him. 

"Nothing that looks at all useful, whoever wrote this fool thing didn't think to write out something to show us what the Fates want to happen." The explorer sighed, something that would have been painful if he'd not been in a city of Mercury-Adepts. 

"I think the Fates wanted to know what we mortals would come up with." Hydros looked up, startled at the new voice, confused as he recognized the man standing there. 

"Come to gloat have we?" he asked, looking back to the segment of the Prophecy before him. Conservato stepped fully into the room, glancing over at Lunpa and Kraden, he gave them a dark glare. 

"May I have a moment alone with his Majesty?" He said, oddly humble. Lunpa raised a questioning eye-brow at Conservato's strange behavior, but motioned for Kraden to get up without a word and left, both taking a few of the documents with him as they did so. As the door clicked shut behind the Explorer, Hydros turned his full attention to the Senator before him. 

"Now what's all this about?" The king asked, Conservato's mouth twisted in dis-taste as he pulled a small scroll out of his volumes robes, and held it out to the king. Hydros took the old parchment, unrolled it, and scanned a few lines at the top, his eyebrows creeping steadily up as he read. 

_'Under the Goddess's eyes will the truth then be found. In her cavern of ice will the Bond shine true, its light upon the Master in pain, and the one still by his side.'_ Hydros looked up at Conservato, confused. 

"What?" He said, still stunned by the other man's gesture, "Why are you—" 

"I dislike Piers." Conservato said simply. "I dislike how he disobeyed Lemurian law, and almost got himself killed doing it. I dislike everything about him. I set out to banish him, and I did." The Senate head puffed up his chest as he spoke. "But I have seen what Alchemy has given back; I know how many in the city see him as an icon. I also hate that Babi far more than I ever will Piers; he riffled through Senate records in his stay, stole documents from us, then killed a citizen, stole the draught, and finally hijacked a ship." Reaching forwards, he tapped two gnarled fingers on the thin parchment before the king. 

"_This_ is my way of seeing everything that bastard has worked for fall." He said with a sneer, turning swiftly on his heel without another word. He opened the door and strode out as Lunpa poked his head in. The three men stood staring at each other for a good long while. 

-------------------------------------------------------- 

Piers ran down the shadowed crystal passage, ignoring the glass-like walls that trapped him, heedless of the crystals crushed under his feet. Running was useless, and usually made it all worse, but he didn't care, he couldn't take standing still anymore. 

Piers skidded to a halt as a shadow down the passage moved, he tripped in his haste and fell back, sharp crystals cutting into his hands. He scrambled to his feet desperate to get away, not wanting to see who was chasing him, only to have a heavy boot slam down on his back, driving his face into the ground. 

"You _do_ realize if you had been faster then Jenna wouldn't have that scar down her leg from the Doom Dragons talons, right?" Felix jeered, he removed his foot letting Piers turn over, the Lemurian looked right up into his friend's smoldering eyes, anger coming off the Venus-Adept in waves. The head of a staff slammed down next to his shoulder, 

"What did you expect Felix?" Sheba asked, walking into his line of sight. "He couldn't even sail away from his Island without getting into trouble. Needed people he didn't even _know_ to go to Alhafra for him." Sheba stuck her nose in the air, like she often did when talking about Alex or remembering Babi, or anything else that disgusted her. 

"But I didn't ask—" He was cut off as Isaac's boot rammed into his head. 

"_No_ you didn't ask." The other Venus-adept said sharply, "You _never_ ask, you just _expect_ people to do things for you. Just like you _expected_ that old man from Madra to journey through the Yampi desert at his age to _help_ you." Piers rolled onto his side holding his head, barely a moment's respite before he felt some one grab the back of his shirt and hoist him up. 

"What a wimp." Garet jeered, throwing him against the jagged wall, "Damn Felix, I feel sorry for you having to travel with this guy for a few months before _we_ came." He said conversationally as he dealt Piers a kick to the stomach. "Sheba has more endurance than this pathetic sailor." Piers couldn't fight as his friends took turns kicking and punching him; Ivan and Jenna joined them soon, adding in their views as well. 

"Remember how we traveled _all_ the way across Southern Gondowan to Kibimbo, and then we had to _argue_ with him before he let us help?" Jenna said as Isaac was having another go at him with Psynegry. The Mariner coughed up blood as the sharp vines leapt out of the ground to attack him. 

"It's good to get what we think of you out in the open Piers," Ivan said cheerily, sparks collecting between his hands. "It means that we can get rid of the weakest link, and not have you unsure about our reasoning." He glanced over at Sheba, "Remember when Kraden was talking about whether certain attacks hurt more depending on the kind of Adept?" He asked; Sheba nodded as Ivan looked back, the sparks becoming a strong current running through the younger Adept as he smiled slightly. "Now we can test that theory." 

Pain flooded Piers' world, mental and physical, he screamed and revolted against what was happening. The world became distorted and the colors seemed to bleed into one another. The pain ebbed away slowly, the caverns fading from his vision as the wounds healed as if they had never been, leaving only an odd light shining in the distance. Piers knew what would happen if he tried to reach out to it. But no matter how badly he wanted, needed, to try reaching Mia through the Bond, he knew he wouldn't be able to take his friend's harsh words again… 

-------------------------------------------- 

Mia squeezed Piers' hand as she felt his pain fade away, fighting back tears at how strongly he had been hurt this time. It kept growing, more painful and unbearable each time. The only respite was when he hung without feeling, she hated it, but it was far better that the pain he felt otherwise. 

"So, we have to take him _back_ into the Lighthouse?" Ivan exclaimed "Back where he was almost _killed_? Who comes up with this stuff??" They were all crowded into Piers' small cabin, Lunpa, Kraden and Hydros, revealing what they'd learned from the texts. 

"The Fates when they are _very_ bored I'd say. Nothing more interesting than killing off a few hero's or making their lives hell now and then." Lunpa said sarcastically. 

"What about Babi?" Felix asked, from where he stood leaning against the wall "Do you think he's still alive down there? Only been a week, he might not be dead yet. Those men were pretty beat-up, most killed, but not him." Sheba bit her lip, mulling over the question. 

"He _was_ slammed into a fountain, and he's frail, that ought to have injured him at least a little bit." the Jupiter-Adept said. 

"Yeah," Jenna seconded, "I was blasted back into one of those things and _I_ sure wasn't ready to shake it off all that fast." Hydros mulled over this a moment. 

"If he _is_ still down there, I am sure you all should be able to handle him." Lunpa said "His Psynergy was always weak; I doubt he could get the upper-hand on any of you." the others all nodded in agreement, 

"Yeah," Garet said, flexing his arm as he spoke, "We were all confused when we were down there last, this time we know what's happening. If he shows up I sure won't let him get past." Garet flashed one of his light smiles as he spoke, everyone else feeling a bit better with the positive thinking. Hydros turned slightly to look at Mia, 

"Are you alright with this?" He asked her in a serious tone, Mia nodded her head, 

"I can feel what this is doing to him," She said, still holding Piers' hand, "I want nothing more than to make it end for him." Hydros nodded looking back to the others he said; 

"It is still early in the day, and I suppose you have all eaten?" Felix nodded Ivan and Sheba getting up from where they had been sitting in the corner. 

"We'll go make sure everything's ready so we can get moving." Sheba said; the two making their way to the door as Isaac nodded. One by one they each left to get weapons ready, making sure the ship was alright to sale after a week in the harbor. 

Once only she and Leon were left in the room, she turned again to Piers, he still wasn't feeling anything; his emotions were blank. Though she was glad he wasn't in any pain, she was now beginning to worry. 

"When you are in the Cavern again, you ought to be able to reach him through the Bond. His Majesty is not sure what will happen when you do." Leon said; rising from his seat he continued. "If the gods look kindly on us, then perhaps by evening he will be awake and able to recover from this." he sighed, walking from the room, he glanced back over his shoulder at her. When he was gone, Mia reached out and gently stroked Piers' cheek, 

_'Perhaps by evening he will be awake and able to recover from this'_ Leon's voice echoed in her head, Mia bent her head, praying he was right. 

--------------------------------------------------------- 

About an hour later, the Adepts pulled into the old wharfs near Ancient Lemuria, no need this time to go through the Caves. Garet and Felix carried Piers off the boat with Isaac in the lead and the others trailing behind. They moved single-file down into the ruins, Mia as close to the stretcher Piers was on as possible. 

It took them about an hour to make their way through the maze of pillars before they found the path back to the large manor from before, this time passing through, Hydros paused to look around the main room. 

"Majesty?" Lunpa asked as the adepts continued down the way, Hydros turned at his title, hearing the question in his old friends eyes, he said; 

"Back when I was still young, this used to be the house of the Senate. I remember my own father leading me down the halls when Lemuria as a whole was at its height." 

"Oi! King Hydros! Lunpa!" Garet's voice echoed a ways off down the passage "You coming or not? He's not getting any lighter I tell you!" Smiling slightly, the king and his advisor chose not to hold up the others any longer. 

Walking down the dingy stone passage, the adepts took the same route they had the first time, stopping when they came to the Lapis engraved on the floor. Ivan pulled out the small cube and siphoned a small amount of Psynergy into the small object; it pulsed and glowed as the group fell apart in mid-air. 

Mia stumbled slightly when they were let down on the identical Lapis. She pulled her cloak around her shoulders as she felt the chill under the Lighthouse; winds from the Tundra above seeping below ground to freeze the small puddles on the ground. 

"Every one ok?" Felix asked "All body-parts intact and in the right place?" Jenna snorted, 

"Not the most appropriate time to be funny." She said in a snippy tone, 

"You wanna carry him?" he asked, giving his sister a level look. Ignoreing their two friends, the party started off again, any conversation dieing down almost instantly until they came up to the grand ice-doors glowing an eerie ethereal blue. 

"Uhhh… Guys." Garet said, a bit unsure as they paused in front of the gate. "Didn't we, you know… Blast the doors to pieces little over a week ago?" Isaac nodded, a bit unsure as well, Mia dragged herself from her thoughts as she heard them muttering too each other. 

"It's Mercury Lighthouse you guys." She said, "Inside there's a statue and small sanctum devoted to the power of Mercury, of course the doors were repaired." 

"All by themselves?" Ivan asked, "We should have those installed on the ship, then at least we won't have to worry about constant repairs." Sheba glanced over her shoulder at him, 

"Not helping the situation Ivan." She said, her breath misting in the chill air. Rubbing his gloved hands together, Isaac walked forward and pushed the doors, they groan in protest, but the massive mounds of ice moved rather smoothly to reveal the same breath-taking site as before. 

Stumbling slightly with their burden, Felix and Garet moved inside towards the statue of the Goddess, unnerved to find the bent fountains standing tall and proud again, but that the orb the Goddess held still levitated there glowing and sending off small sparks of energy, the remains of it's casing still littering the floor. Sloshing through the shallow canal, the two adepts set Piers down near a rather large shard of the orb's shell. It had landed in a way that left it stable so they could rest Piers up against it. Mia came up and took a place at his side. 

"Holler if you need anything," Garet said as the others backed out of the cavern, the power radiating from the very walls telling them simply that they were un-welcome guests. "Or if you see tall dark and dead in the shadows." Mia nodded as she saw Lunpa and Hydros usher Leon out into the hall as well. No one knew what kind of power this would unleash, so they'd agreed that it would be safest if it were only Mia and Piers inside. As Lunpa stepped out of the doors way, the two massive chunks of ice moved of their own accord to slam shut, locking her in, and the other's out. 

Mia looked at Piers' face, even hours after he'd been in such pain he _still_ hadn't reached out to her, no matter how hard she tried to reach him through the Bond. Even sitting in the Cavern, the light of the Mercury Beacon shining down on them both, she couldn't feel him stir in the slightest. 

Removing her gloves and placing one hand on his cheek, she whispered his name softly, reaching out through the Bond at the same time. 

"Piers…" She whispered, "Piers, wake up, this is the last time, I promise you. But in order for this to end, you have to wake up, please, Piers." Mia's breath caught in her throat as she noticed something, placing her hand at his throat she felt for his pulse. Pulling back suddenly, Mia's eyes grew wide, hot tears threatening to spill over. 

She could barely feel his heartbeat, his pulse had slowed in recent hours, and she hadn't even noticed. He was dying because she couldn't help him… 

Mia gave a start as she felt a small flare in the Bond, to small to be called a flare, just a small jolt, but it was still something. Placing one hand over his heart, she hated how long the pause in between throbs was, closing her eyes, she tried to grab onto that one small part of him that moved. Pain spilling over, Mia leaned on to his chest sobbing. She didn't know what to do; she didn't know how to help him. She never stopped pouring her aura into the bond, still desperate to reach him, so focused on this one thing that she almost missed his hand on her back. 

"Don't cry Mia…" he said in a strangled voice. Startled, she looked up into his tired golden eyes, her own blue over-flowing with tears. "I always hate to see you cry." He said; he was shaking like he always did when he woke-up, maybe more as his heart continued to slow under her hand. Mia threw her arms around his neck, unable to do what he wanted as she poured herself into that small part of him in her mind. He gasped slightly as she did so, his aura intertwining with hers, his features relaxing as he looked down at where Mia was clinging to his chest. 

"You c-can't die n-now Piers." She sobbed, "Y-you just c-can't, not after everything with the L-lighthouses and the world, and-and all of our friends. You-You just can't leave us all, you-you can't leave me… P-please… Piers…" 

"I don't want to go…" he said softly, he gently lifted her head to look him in the eye, "I won't be able to take it again though…" He said softly, "After the pain, th-there was nothing but peace. Y-You were the only thing that brought me back this time." That blue oil surged up again, covering his eyes for a moment, cutting him off from her again, she almost screamed as tears streamed down her face. He fought it off, gripping her shoulders he looked deeply into her eyes, Mia urging every fiber of her being into staying connected to him. 

"_Please_," he whispered, shaking as panic seeped into the Bond, _"Help Me…"_ Pain tore through her as his eyes went blank again, the power sweeping him off for what would be the last time. Mia screamed as fire laced through her, blinding her as she felt herself being torn. She couldn't explain it, the only thing remaining solid as all knowledge of her body slipped away like grains in an hourglass, was the constant fear that if she let go of the Bond, then she'd loose the one most important thing to her. 

After a few moments, Mia collapsed lifelessly against Piers' sleeping form, her blue eyes coated with the same slick oil as his. 

--------------------------------------------------- 

Watching the young Adept scream as the Bond tore her sol from her now lifeless body was amusing to watch and something to mull over before a warm fire. But the fact that the Trident and unlimited power were within arms reach, and that the only ones keeping it from him were still locked away. 

Now _that_ was something to mull over. 

---------------------------------------------------- 

**Sun:** _-Holding mallet ready to bop people-_** ONE Hentai remark that's ALL I need and there's nothing left but a pile Reader-Mush T-T **

Host: _-Poking an unconscious Piers with a pointy stick-** Easy**_ Grasshopper. -.- 

Sun: _-eyetwitch-_** Did you just call me a _bug?!?! T-T _ **

Host: o-O;; !!!!! 

Sun: _KAPOOWW!! BAM!!BAM!!BAM!!SMAK!!SHMAK!!! BUH BYE!!!!_

Host:_ -Somewhere over Kuntuky.-_** Xx;; **

Sun: _-Still holding killer mallet.- **NO HENTAI!!!**_ _-eyetwitch-** REVIEW!!!**_


	15. All in Vain?

**Chapter 15 **

All in Vain?

Ivan watched the others nervously, they'd all heard Mia screaming a few minutes ago, but they couldn't get through the doors. Felix, Garet, and Isaac had all rammed into the doors, and all of them had thrown a few powerful attacks against the barricade but they still refused to give.

"_Hell's wrath within my palm, hear me now, your master's cry! BLAST!"_ Jenna chanted, funneling psynergy into the small broach she wore, red light lacing around it and up her arm as white hot blasts of flame flew from the end of her staff, filling the small space with crimson.

"_Venus's glow, grant your brother's request. Unleash the rage within your heart, come! ERUPTION!"_ Garet said right after her, glowing with energy as the ground opened just before him, flames leaping out to lick at the walls of ice. Sheba, standing near Ivan, flashed the Special card she held, raising her class to a Pierrot.

"_Smoke and mirrors, laughter and gin. Laugh for me, boys, watch the night fly; HEAT JUGGLE!"_ She cried, as four raging balls of fire circled her small form before rocketing forwards along side Jenna and Garet's attacks.

"_Hear this you damn magical sage! This is nothing more than a WORTHLESS PIECE OF CRAP!"_ Jenna swore as each fiery blast rammed into the doors before fizzing out. Felix moved quickly to keep his sister from smashing the small broach they'd scaled blistering peaks to recover.

Ivan stood staring at the doors, racking his brain for an idea. Despite the massive firepower, the doors were coated with only the slightest sheen of water, even that quickly began freezing once more. Something tickled at the back of his mind, teasing his senses as Isaac and Felix tried another go with their own earth shattering abilities. Rubbing his temple, Ivan tried to get a grip on whatever it was, however difficult such a task may be with monstrous blades of solid energy blasting past his ears and shattering themselves uselessly.

"How does the sleep work?" He asked, more to himself than any of the others, Hydros though, heard him,

"What?" the King asked, Ivan looked up,

"We know it's supposed to test Piers, a sort or Worst-case-scenario kind of thing, but how does it do that?" Ivan looked at his boots, Sheba coming over to join them, slipping the Card back into her pocket,

"What do you mean, _'How does it do that'_? What does that have to do with us getting in there?" She asked, Garet losing his patience behind her and taking his Fire-Brand to the double doors, Felix and Isaac started slashing as well. The power of a blistering meteor had done the trick before, maybe that or a pillar of flame would again.

"Well, remember how when you and I tried reading his mind back on the ship? And how we didn't get anything out of him?" Sheba tilted her head to the side,

"Yeah I remember, Mia he was in pain so we tried to reach him… tried to help him if we could, but when we reached out we…" Sheba's voice lowered to a bare murmur as she looked away,

"Got nothing; it was like he was empty. Even though Mia could feel him, we couldn't find his sub-conscious. We couldn't find what made him, HIM…" Ivan finished, Kraden was staring off at nothing, Ivan could almost hear the gears turning in the scholar's mind, looking at what he'd said from every angle.

"You couldn't find his Soul…" Lunpa said quietly, Ivan nodded; a placid expression was painted on Sheba's face.

"Well that makes sense," Hydros said, they were speaking loudly enough for the others to hear from where they stood glaring darkly at the Doors.

"Why else would he need a connection with someone else?" Sheba exclaimed, suddenly smacking herself on the side of her head, "He needed Mia or some one he trusted deeply too lead him back to his body!"

"That's still not helping us get in there." Felix called, bringing their attention back to the matter at hand. Kraden looked thoughtful for a moment, holding his chin in one hand.

"It would take a great deal of power to remove a Soul, even more to keep removing and replacing it. No wonder it had to be started in Lemuria and Mercury Lighthouse, you can't get more power devoted to Mercury anywhere but in these two places." The scholar's expression darkened considerably as he spoke. "I think it also explains why we can't get in there." Jenna was standing with them now; she gave Kraden a quizzing glance.

"What do you mean?" She asked; Kraden took on his Lecturing voice, though it was neither the proper time nor place for a lesson.

"Well, think about it this way; if it takes an extreme amount of power to accomplish what has been started here, then do you not think such a high concentration of said power would cause changes in the area around it?" Kraden started pacing back and forth, like he often did when going for an undetermined amount of time. "I believe that the reason the doors will not open now is a result of a high concentration of the Elemental power necessary for ending this all." Hydros worried his bottom lip, but remained silent.

"So you're saying we _can't_ get in, and that for the past week Piers has been _dead_?" Garet exclaimed, not having given up on the doors, but reluctant to continue dulling the blade and draining his energy. Kraden shook his head quickly,

"No, no, Garet; his Soul was still as active as ever, just not inside of his corporeal form, held somewhere where he has been tested for the past week. And because his Soul was still intact and not ready for death, Piers' body remained in a coma-like state." Kraden paused and removed his spectacles to polish them on his shirt, his mouth forming a grim line.

"Now I see why Mia expressed her hated of those times when he felt nothing." Leon muttered, standing away from them. Ivan looked over and saw the realization seeping into the Lemurian's eyes as he looked up. "She didn't know what it was, she was glad he felt no pain, but hated how he would fill with fear as soon as it let him go…. It was Death calling to him." He looked haunted as he spoke now, "I'm almost sure of it… Death showing him one way to bring a permanent end to the torment he was enduring..." Hydros seemed to resolve something within himself as he looked up,

"Kraden," He said simply, "You say that it would take an immense amount of power to remove a Soul from its body correct?" Kraden blinked and nodded, Hydros looked grim as he continued, "How much then, would it take to remove _two_ Souls from their rightful, solid, bodies?" He asked, Kraden's eyes widening startlingly

"What are you saying?" Garet asked, stepping forward, "That we left Mia in there to have her Soul sucked out of her!? Why are you telling us this **_now_** when we can't do anything to help?" He shouted,

"Mia can't lead Piers out of there if she doesn't know where he is now can she?" Sheba muttered, not meaning for it to be a joke. She also said it in a way which made it seem more like she was trying to figure it out for herself instead of clarifying it for someone else.

Hydros looked Garet firmly in the eye "Master Garet, I assure you, this is all as new to me as it is to you." He commented, looking back at Kraden, "When we came here last, one blast from any of you shattered the doors instantly, whilst held behind them was enough energy to unsettle Piers' Soul so that it was able to be removed and returned on a whim. Now, we come back to the same doors, and find that we cannot make so much as dent them, that they are at least twice as strong as before. I take this as an ill omen for us all."

"So how come we could open them a few minutes ago?" Felix asked, getting edgy from the extended wait, eager to try and help his friends. "Do you think that scream from Mia was all this power taking effect?" He asked, eyebrows slipping down to form the scowl he often wore before a battle. Hydros nodded, his expression never lightening,

"I was standing near the column when this started, though I may be wrong, I'm most positive I saw him screaming. It's safe to say that having one's Soul taken is not a pleasant experience." Hydros scowled as they stood there, Ivan turned to glance at the massive doors once more.

"So when Mia and Piers, I dunno, get back from where ever their Souls have been taken, we'll be able to open the doors again and get in there?" He asked; Hydros looked over at him.

"If things decide to go our way, then, yes…"

----------------------------------------------------------------

'_Such a pretty couple they make.'_ He thought, chuckling bitterly as he heard the Adepts outside the door give up trying to force their way in. He stood there looking over the two Mercury-Adepts lying on the ground before him. The son of the man he'd killed over a hundred years ago looked much like his father had. He had one arm hanging loosely around the girl's waste where it had fallen after their Souls had been taken.

His eyes scanned the face of the girl, single strands of her teal hair resting on one soft pale cheek. Her tears had dried quickly, leaving stains on her face. She had her head resting on the man's chest, the two of them breathing in time with one another. Her eyes were closed in what he knew was not really a peaceful sleep.

'_I remember her from Tolbi, hell I remember all Isaac's little group from Tolbi, and Collosso. But what was this one's name? May? Mindy? Marsha? By the Elements what was her name?'_ Babi felt his eye twitch in annoyance. Schooling his features to calm though, he smiled down at the two. Stroking the trident gently with one hand, he simply stood there, watching them both sleep.

'_He's too weak now to wake up unless he's earned the power of Mercury, and she isn't about to leave him to die. The moment either one moves, they'll wish they'd taken their last chance at a quick and painless death.'_ He thought, a hint of madness seeping into his dark, lustful, eyes.

'_At long last, unlimited power, rivaled only by the Golden Sun itself, will be mine. I will control the seas and the rivers, and thus I shall control all the people of Weyard. The world will at long last be under the control to its rightful, soon to be_**immortal**,_ ruler.'_

----------------------------------------------------------------

Mia's world spun rapidly as she tried to discern up from down, she felt like she was lost in a blizzard in the wastelands north of Imil, but this time with no Lighthouse with which to keep her bearings with. Disoriented and confused, she felt fear seep into her system; the only solid thing remaining was her death-grip on the Bond.

With an electrifying jolt, Mia found herself standing in a hall underground. The walls of solid crystal pulsed with a dull violet light, the whole scene reminding Mia of the Caverns where Psycrystals grew. Shifting her feet a little, she took a startled step back as she heard a crunch, small crystals shattering under-foot; she was startled again as she felt more behind her.

Standing stiffly in one spot, she tried to breathe deeply and clam down. She noticed that the air tasted dull, not even the normal musk of the earth reaching her senses, and how the sound of the crystals shattering under-foot sounded almost hollow to her ears…

Mia felt an odd weight on her wrist, looking down, she saw a manacle around the lower half of her arm, lifting it up to look at it, she noticed that it glittered gold in the dim light.

"The Bond." She whispered, her voice like everything else sounding hollow to her, she noticed how her voice sounded far away, like she was speaking from one end of a tube. Shaking off the odd feeling, Mia remembered what had brought her here. Looking back at the manacle, she noticed silk-like strands of gold picked out by the un-even light of the crystal. These strands seemed to fade and grow brighter no matter where the light came from, not shining in time with one another. They led off down the passage from where she stood. Steeling her resolve, Mia ignored the audible tinkle of crystal as she followed the silk-like strands through the dim light. Mia kept telling herself that it was just like fresh snow, nothing that could cut through her thin, soft-soled boots.

As she walked down the passage, Mia noticed she couldn't feel the Bond in her head anymore, only the heavy weight of the manacle around her arm. Everything was eerily quiet except for the sound of the crystals crunching under-foot, but as she continued to walk, she thought she heard fleeting laughter. The source unknown as the shadows seemed to swallow the sound.

The sounds grew louder and more frequent as she continued down the seemingly endless halls, never seeing any adjoining passages. Mia paused as she heard a loud smack echoing through the small space, closely followed by a strangled cry and more laughter. Mia's heart jumped into her throat at the sounds, quickening her pace, she didn't care about the shards under her feet as they crashed loudly.

Following the Bond, Mia soon came up to a corner, the wall opposite the opening bathed in a pale blue light. The laughter was much louder; Mia paused as she heard voices talking amongst themselves.

'_Hang on,'_ She thought, moving against the wall, her brow furrowing_, 'Is that…. Isaac?'_ her eyes went wide as she listened to what he was saying,

"You really are the most pathetic sight you know that, right?" He jeered, Mia was startled at the harshness in his voice, and she flinched as she heard him punch some one, confusion and disbelief swamping her as she heard Piers try to say something, only to have her then feel Isaac's psynergy pulse through the crystal walls around her. Mia bit her lip, fighting tears as she heard Piers scream.

"No Isaac, _now_ he's the most pathetic site." Mia gasped, _'Jenna?'_ She thought, remaining hidden, Mia quickly picked out Sheba, Ivan, Garet and Felix's voices as well. Then a new voice entered, Mia's eyes grew wide as it spoke.

"I should have just done away with him when he was born. Always wanting to see what was beyond the Sea of Time, never really content to stay in the city." Mia leaned against the wall and placed both hands over her mouth to stifle the sobs that threatened to come up and give her away. Sliding down in to the ground, she ignored the sharp crystals beneath her. "It's because of him his father was killed, Babi wanted the power of Mercury, but he wouldn't have _known_ about it if Piers hadn't gone and told him about the Prophecy in the first place. Naïve brat, sharing something like that with a foreigner, you deserve everything you're getting now with the Bond." Mia clamped her hands over her ears shook her head from side to side. This wasn't real, it couldn't be, there was no way that that could be Piers' dead _mother_ talking to him like that. It just _couldn't _be…

'_What are you doing?'_ She shouted at herself, anger suddenly boiling up, _'You aren't here to just sit back and watch! You're here to help him! Get him out of there and away from them!'_ Mia gritted her teeth and stood, _'It's not them. Your friends would never say those things, it's not them.'_ Mia kept repeating those words over and over in her mind. Taking a deep breath, she walked right into the pale light, momentarily blinded by the brightness; she sucked in a sharp breath as she felt the iciness where she stood.

The light faded instantly and Mia found herself on a ledge, looking down about ten feet to where all the others were standing. The crystal here was all blue instead of the odd violet of the rest of the caverns. A cylindrical shaft with the ceiling naught but a foot over her head, the blue floor was covered in violet designs, dizzying to the eye as a long, dark blue velvet curtain covered a section of the room, steps of the pale crystal leading up to it.

Looking down, Mia spotted her friends standing in a loose circle, in the center, ankle deep water covering the floor before the steps. Piers was down on his knees. In front of him standing out of the water, was a woman with blue hair pulled back loosely, and plain white clothing like what most of the people in Lemuria wore. Her face looked about middle-aged, but her Golden eyes were testament to her ancient life.

The woman glanced up and spotted her, she smiled warmly and Mia stepped back. With a slight flick of her wrist, Mia watched her friends turn to shadows and slowly fade into the Crystal walls.

"I see you came at last." The woman lightly, the way her lips curved still forming a nurturing smile. Oddly, Mia saw no malice or deceit in her eyes, nothing to hint at a hidden attack. Fisting her hands at her side, Mia still wasn't about to let her guard down.

"What are you and what have you been doing to him?" She asked; her voice as forceful as she could make it. The woman, Mia refused to think of her as Piers' mother, chuckled slightly, Piers still kneeling on the ground, oblivious to what was taking place.

"Why, I've been having a bit of fun while I test him of course." The woman said, stepping forward to place a hand on Piers' head. A gesture all too much like what one would use with a dog. Piers flinched at the contact, but he made no move to get away. "I cannot allow for the Master of your world's waters to be weak. But I also need to have a bit of fun, ne? He must prove himself strong and smart enough to escape from this place, and I'm here to help make it hell for him."

She didn't look at all sorry for the pain she had apparently been causing, no more than a farmer regrets putting an old dog down; it was nothing that should be dwelt on… That was horrid enough to think on, but the idea that she was _enjoying_ this and having _fun_ with his pain made Mia's blood boil.

"I'm almost done testing him, in fact." The woman continued cheerfully, "He's stood up remarkably well I must say, seeing as how many doubts he's held in his heart, yes, _very_ well indeed." The woman held her hand out towards Mia, "But I need your help to finish this last test." She said, "Why don't you come down, dear? And then I can let the two of you go home…"

Mia's breath caught in her throat as she felt an odd tingle along her skin. Glancing behind her, her eyes met only the smooth surface of the crystal wall; the way she had come was blocked. Something shifted in the corner of her eye and she turned again to see a spiraling staircase leading down from the ledge she was perched on. Mia glanced back down at the woman, who tilted her head the way a mother dose to a stubborn child.

"I assure you, Child, you'd do better to help me at the moment; in the end it's all helping him. You see, I have to be most harsh at this time, attack him with some of his deepest fears and what-not. Drag up a few foul memories that he's locked away, things like that. But this is not half as enjoyable as watching his friends take chunks out of him." She said, "Besides, if he fails, I think he'd be comforted knowing you'd be staying with him. If one of you stays, you both do, but I'd hate to think of the guilt you'd feel if you just walked away." Mia blinked as the other woman seemed to shimmer slightly, returning to normal instantly,

Mia looked cautiously between the woman and the staircase. Taking a calming breath, she stepped down. There was a whoosh and the world spun, Mia stumbled slightly and found herself standing in front of the other woman, water sloshing around her ankles. Glancing back at where she had been, Mia swallowed un-easily as she found no hint of stairs or platform. The woman looked especially proud as Mia turned back to face her, again her expression reminding her of a mother who's child had caught their first fish for supper.

"Very good, Child." She praised. "I see this young man indeed had good sense in choose you. Those pesky Fates always seem to make things difficult when it comes to these things. Thankfully for him, you overcame those set-backs and made it here. If he fails now, I'll have so much fun with the both of you."

She clasped her hands together in a very Lady-like way. Mia gasped as the woman began to shimmer with an ethereal light, her body shifting like water forming to a new container. A water Deity.

Mia brought one hand up to shield her eyes from the brightness. As the light faded slowly, she blinked a few times to clear the small dots from her vision. Looking straight ahead, Mia stumbled back in surprise at the figure before her.

In the place of Piers' dead mother, Mia was shocked to see a mirror image of herself standing beside him. Everything the same between them down to the imitation of the Bond around her wrist. The other Mia smiled slightly, still with that same warmth from before, as she examined her knew self.

"Very nice." She commented, rolling her shoulders. The real Mia felt her throat clench as the voice was the same as hers, except, not with that same hollowness. "Yes, very nice," the copy repeated, "Shame I must use such an appealing form for such messy business. Are you ready to begin, Child?"

Flashing a smile at Mia, the other girl held her hand out, Mia's staff appearing in her hands. Looking over the polished metal, the Copy's expression darkened, turning into one that showed hatred and disgust. Turning to Piers, she took on an icy mask covering the distaste, but not hiding it completely.

"Get up." She snapped; Mia stumbled at the harshness of her own voice echoing through the vaulting space. Mia watched as her Double sucked in a sharp breath, eyes boring into Piers' bent head. "Are you deaf? I _said_ get up!" she hissed, Mia stood in shock at the way this copy mimicked her mannerisms when angry, and how Piers flinched at her harsh words.

Striding towards him, the double grabbed his shoulder, digging her nails in as she roughly jerked him to his feet. "I didn't think you were the type to need to be told more than once to do something." She said in a cold voice, glaring at him when Piers purposely looked away from her. Mia found herself un-able to move as Piers muttered something in reply.

"You can't be Mia, this-this isn't real…" He muttered, the Double's lips pulled back into a sneer as she raised her staff to strike him.

"You've been telling yourself that for quiet some time now haven't you? This is as real as it gets, Piers! You're a true fool if you believe anything else! I pity your poor mother for have to of been the one to bring your ungrateful, useless hide into this—!" The Deity was cut off as Mia forced her legs to move, she tackled her mirror image and forced her to the ground.

"Bitch!" Mia screamed, surprised by her own words. Anger and hurt at the other woman wearing her face to spin such horrid lies spilling over, as tears ran down her cheeks. "That's not true! None of it!" She shouted; grappling with the other woman in the water. The Deity flashed a hidden smile as the water surged around Mia to force her off the other woman, throwing her across the floor and drenching her at the same time.

The small flash of contempt in the Double's face vanished as she got to her feet and bent down to retrieve her staff. Mia pushed a few strands of her soaking hair out of her eyes as she moved quickly to Piers who still stood un-moving. He was staring straight down forcing himself not to acknowledge what was going on. Mia ran up to him and tried to get him to face her.

"Piers, it's me," She said in a rush, grabbing his shoulders to try and look at his face "It's Mia, you have to listen, this isn't real, you're not alone. I'm here to help you now. This is all just some stupid test, Piers; it's all a lie, you've been right all along about the others. You have to believe me, Piers, it's not real." Mia glanced over her shoulder, dread seeping into the pit of her stomach as the Deity seemed to have vanished. Piers still didn't meet her eyes as she turned back to him, not giving any indication that he had heard anything she'd said.

Pain suddenly exploded in Mia's side, she shrieked and fell to her knees gasping for breath as she clasped her hands to the site of the pain. She felt her own warm blood coating her hands as she stared up to see the other her wiping the blood off of a slim dagger she held.

"Yes, Piers, listen to that imitation's lies. Listen to it so that when the others come back we can go over this all over again until you get the message." The Copy's tone seemed almost bored as she spoke, slipping the plain blade back into its case at her side. Looking back at him, her tone dripped with venom as she bored holes into his head with her eyes.

"How can you think for a _moment_ that what this thing says is true? Its voice isn't even real, nothing more than some hollow echo. And besides, if all of us really _do_ think you're worth keeping around, do you think that we were just kidding when we spoke earlier?" The Deity stuck her nose in the air, eyes burning, everything about how she held herself mimicking Mia.

"It's not true…" She whimpered, reaching up with one hand, regardless of the blood staining her fingers, Mia clasped Piers' hand and tried again to talk to him again. "That wasn't them; these are copies, just like this one of me... Felix and Isaac, they're your friends, you know that. Sheba looks up to you like an older brother and even Garet respects you." Mia swallowed the coppery taste in her mouth, trying to breathe past the pain as she felt her lungs began filling with blood. "You-you know how Kraden loves to talk to you, and how you're mother was never like that. It's all a lie, Piers, all of it, we're your friends and we're all worried about you." Mia blinked back the burning sensation in her eyes as he didn't seem to notice her at all.

"Piers, we all want to help you, I told you that before. And the others did to, back on the ship, then-"

"What? When?" The Copy interrupted, blue eyes widening in surprise. Mia looked up and saw Piers' eyes focus for a brief moment, saw him listen to what she was saying.

'_The Festival symbolizes the moon-cycle where the Spirits under the Goddess Luna have no site over the world.'_ Piers' voice echoed in her head, something she'd almost forgotten in the past week.

'_The world is preparing for Winter; when Wind and Water will hold the most power, but Earth and Fire still have a decent grip in Autumn. Fall is when the Elements fight for sway on Weyard, so the Spirits are to busy with this Tug-of-war to notice what's going on in the world around them.' _

'_That's what I'm supposed to do.'_ Mia thought, it was such a hazy idea at first, but it stuck. _'She takes his past memories and uses them against him. But she doesn't know things that happened this month because of the Festival in Lemuria.'_ Glancing away from the confused Deity, Mia looked back up into Piers' eyes.

"Jenna told me," She said, hope seeping into her words, "when you tried to leave and Felix and Isaac stopped you, they _told_ you they were worried about you, Kraden and Garet to. You told me your uncle hasn't stopped worrying, no one else has kept it a secret around you." Piers' eyes seemed to look inward, sifting through memories until his eyes widened slightly.

"I… I remember that…"

"That's not fair! She's lying!" The Copy screamed, her form seemed to shimmer again, this time without her control "You can't do that! Luna said that if he failed I could keep both of you here and do whatever I wanted!"

Mia ignored the other woman, blood still pouring from the gaping hole in her side; she couldn't feel her psynergy here to stop it. Piers blinked a few times, eyes focusing securely on her face,

"Mia…? Mia!" Recognition seeped into his eyes as he seemed to really wake up, looking over her, his eyes froze on the blood staining her side. Falling down to his knees instantly, he wrapped one arm around her and placed the other one over the wound. Mia let out a soft whimper and pressed her face into his neck, she felt him try to reach for his psynergy that wasn't there.

"You'll be alright, Mia," He said softly, mimicking the words she'd been pouring onto him for days now as he tried to keep as much pressure on the wound as he could. "We'll get out of this." A soft light seemed to wash over them both, and Mia felt something pulling at them both through the Bond.

"No! NO! **_NO!_** You're not supposed to free him, you little wench!" the Copy screeched, her voice changing, becoming more abrasive and scratchy. A brilliant flash blue light filled the room, fading away instantly, the Sprite screaming in outrage as her illusion vanished with it.

Mia's face faded, leaving dark blue skin and pristine white hair. She was dressed in a simpler version of the robes the Idols wore in sanctums, a cylindrical clasp with a large blue stone held the silky fabric up around her shoulders, a plain, black leather belt circling her thin waist. Her eyes were completely white, her ears pointed and pierced with gold loops and small gems. The Imp-like Deity stomped her feet in anger, like a child throwing a tantrum.

"You're not going _anywhere!"_ She shrieked, turning on her heel, the small Sprite darted behind the sheer drapes around the pedestal. She returned in an instant, brandishing a swirling black and blue sphere the size of a melon in both hands, sneering in triumph. Raising the orb over her head, she looked at where Piers was still holding Mia,

"You may have out-lasted all that because you had you're little friend too talk to when you were strong enough." She shouted, glee painted all over her face, "But you don't have a flame's chance in a flood of surviving _this!_" Mia didn't have time to prepare as everything seemed to slow down as the Spirit threw the orb at them both.

Hitting the water just a few paces before the two Adepts, the glass ball shattered, small shards of what looked like black ice spewed from the center slowly. Everything was quiet but for the crash, but Piers' arms suddenly tightened around Mia as the cavern shook violently and the walls became riveted with cracks. The air filled with shards of crystal as the floor heaved and shattered like a pane of glass beneath them.

Mia screamed as they plummeted down through the shattered floor, her eyes finding nothing but un-ending darkness below. This was the kind of darkness that one feels they can fall through forever.

She reached out instinctively and grabbed Piers' arm as they were jarred apart, her eyes making out little but for the small shards of crystal and glass, and the bright blue of his clothing. She could hardly feel the pain in her side as the wind whipped past them and they fell into the Abyss. She wrapped her arms around him and hung on for dear life, he in turn holding her close to him.

The world seemed to have held it's breath as there was no sound but for their clothing flapping and the distant echo of the shattered glass. The two of them fell silently, unable to move for fear of being torn apart.

Trapped.


	16. While the Darkness Consumes

**Chapter 16 **

As the Darkness Consumes

Babi shifted impatiently from where he sat at the foot of the Goddess Luna's statue, tapping his fingers against the stone folds of her flowing robes with the Trident resting beside him. There was anger coming off him in waves as he glared at the two sleeping Adepts.

_'What, in the blackest pits of hell, is taking them so bloody long to get out of there?'_ He thought impatiently, tapping his fingers restlessly against the blue stone, eyes darting every now and then to the large ice doors.

It had been hours since this had begun, but those meddlers were still out there, still waiting like he was for this to end. Though of course, they had different reasons for doing so.

Only a few minutes ago, the Adepts had seemed to come too momentarily, not long enough to open their eyes, but enough to start moving. Yes, Babi'd stood above them both; ready to take the power that was his the moment either opened their eyes to see him. But those wretched friends of theirs had thrown another barrage of attacks at the doors, blasting them apart for a brief instant before the sound of breaking glass had filled the caves and they had slammed shut once more. The Mercury-Adepts thrust back into that fool sleep again.

Picking up the trident, Babi ran his hands over the smooth metal again, as weak as his original psynergy was, he could still feel the power surging through the three prongs of the unique weapon. He gave the two a thoughtful glance again.

He knew he'd have to kill the girl in order to re-claim the Bond; then it would simply be a matter of killing the boy as well too gain the full power. It would be easy, the girl may be strong, but she'd still be weak from what had happened, and if he was quick enough, the boy would still be too surprised to put up much of a fight.

He grinned evilly. Yes, he could hardly wait to see the looks on the faces of Isaac and his friends when he ascended to the rank of a God. Losing Tolbi would be worth it just to see their expressions. He just had to be patient.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Pain, there was so much pain, and guilt, rivers of it, digging away at his soul. Tearing away large chunks of him and devouring them.

Piers tightened his arms around Mia, not willing to risk loosing her to the darkness. He buried his face in the soft strands of her hair, flying free in the winds that rushed past them. This was all his fault, this shouldn't be happening, not to Mia. She'd already been through enough because of the Lighthouses; she shouldn't be suffering because of him.

He could still feel her blood on his hands; that was his fault. If he'd listened to her in the cavern, she wouldn't be hurt now. But then again, he'd seen Mia in there before, a copy of her at least. She'd come and tried to help him, well, she'd say she wanted to help. Then she'd turn around and attack him like all the others. He hadn't believed her this time, hadn't believed the real her. And she'd been hurt.

Because of him.

It wasn't the first time either. When he'd been captured in the caves under Lemuria, he hadn't been able to get her away; he'd been too weak to fight that mist. She'd been poisoned and could have died because of that. He kept failing her, failing them all.

Against the Doom Dragon, he'd been unable to focus because of the nausea of being atop the Mars Lighthouse. But Mia was a Mercury-Adept as well; he couldn't blame his own Element for his incompetence, it was all his own.

Going back even further, back atop Jupiter Lighthouse, how much help had he been then? He'd been brought down instantly, no help at all to Felix against Karst and Agaito. And Felix had been un-sure with the match to begin with. It was a miracle they hadn't all been killed…

Piers squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out all of the harsh memories, but they just kept coming.

Madra; he didn't even want to think about that town, he hated going back because of the debt he owed the mayor, and how many bad memories were kept there. He couldn't have gotten out. None of the townsfolk had believed him when he'd said he wasn't Champa, and so he'd needed the Mayor and his elderly father to journey through Yampi Desert to get to Alhafera. Because of him they'd left their town in shambles when their people needed them most. Any problems that had occurred when they were gone were his fault. Piers couldn't try to deny it. He hadn't known where the two had gone, but he was still to blame.

He remembered the Jailhouse the most. The cramped cell he had been thrown into without a trial or any evidence to prove his guilt. He remembered trying to convince them he had done nothing, only to have them throw things and curse him. He remembered when he'd finally lost his temper, and had cast _'Frost'_ on that young man, Shin. The young man who had only been searching for his lover's attacker.

Was he so weak and ill-trained, that he had lashed out in anger? Almost injured someone, who'd done only what they'd thought was right? It was not a question he had to think on. It was plain by his actions that he was.

It was painfully simple to see why his friends could appear to hate him. In only a few short months he'd done them more wrongs than anyone else he'd known. No wait. That was a lie. He'd never killed one of his friends…

His mother. He could still here her voice sometimes. Laughing when he fussed with his head-dress like he still had as a child, and had needed her to help him…

He could still see the worry in her eyes that day. Everyone had an odd feeling that morning, no one was in the harbor, and none wanted to leave their homes that day. She'd taken ill again, her weak heart had caused her pain when she had woken up. She hadn't wanted him to leave. He hadn't either, his plans were not to sail away that day, but to take inventory, and go out to test the repairs made to the ship's hull and equipment.

He hadn't seen the water foaming until the wave had begun to come over the horizon. He'd panicked then, he hadn't kept his head and made for the rocks that where closer than the Island. The wheel had slipped from his grasp as the sea had heaved below him, dragging the ship into a hidden current.

Before he'd been swallowed up by the cascading wall of water, he'd seen the Island that was his home. He'd felt the power there echoing through the waters.

He'd felt his mother die.

Even that far back, it was not the start of his failures, not when or where his weakness had first shown. No, there was something more, one thing that drove the point home, to tear him apart inside.

He hadn't meant for it to happen, he hadn't seen the flash of greed in the outsider's eyes when he'd spoken of the Prophecy during the festival. He'd been taught to trust his elders and, at the time, Babi and Lunpa had still been just that, his elders. He could still feel the blade against his throat; see the horror in his father's eyes as Babi threatened him. His father's screams still echoed in the darkest corners of his mind, still haunting his dreams even now when he was grown. They were always followed by his mother's choked sobs as she held her dying husband in her arms, the burning hatred that smoldered in Lunpa's eyes. And the unimaginable shame that had swamped Piers when he'd first seen his father's pale, lifeless face.

He remembered running after that. His mother calling his name as he'd fled the house, trying vainly to out-run the guilt and unfairness of it all. He'd run to the docks first, he'd always run there. Even at such a young age he was used to running away from his problems. Even that young he was weak. His father's ship hadn't been there, gone, Babi had stolen it. Taken his father and then the ship his father had spent his life sailing, stolen the spark from his mother's eyes, the charm from his uncle's smile.

But it wasn't all Babi's fault. Lunpa had said it himself that most any man would have leapt at the chance for such power. Though he hadn't said it, Piers knew it was his fault for telling Babi in the first place. That all of his misery was his own fault…

Piers felt tears welling up, of shame and guilt, it didn't matter what they were for; they were still just another sign that he was weak…

"I'm sorry…" He whispered, Mia moved against him, startling him slightly, he'd almost forgotten she was there… Or rather, here, with him, trapped…

"For what?" She asked softly, her face against his shoulder. He could have smiled at the question, perhaps even have laughed if not for the crushing weight around his heart. Remembering she was still near him, that he held her like he did, only served to add more pain to what was already there.

"For everything." He muttered, closing his eyes again, un-willing to let a single tear fall. He may have been weak, but he would not show her so plainly.

He did not know how long they had been falling, or how long they would continue to do so. The only knowledge he could grasp was that it was his fault she was there. Mia shifted her hold on him; allowing a thin ribbon of air to snake in between them and expand, forcing them apart. She shrieked as they broke apart, her arms flailing as the winds rushed past them, still silent as they struggled.

Piers reached out instinctively and clasped her hand, pulling her back to him. Mia clamped her arms around him, burying her face against his shoulder and shaking violently.

"Don't let me go," She whimpered, "Please, don't let me fall." Piers felt her tears through the fabric of his vest, fear running off of her as she clung to him. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

"I won't" He whispered into her hair. "It's all my fault, Mia, I always fail when things matter most. I'm so sorry…" She turned her head to look up at him, bright blue eyes searching his face, worry creasing her brow.

"When have you ever failed us?" She asked him softly, not loosening her grip on him. He looked away, unable to take the trust in her eyes. Mia rubbed her face up against his neck, taking in a shaky breath to calm herself.

"When?" She asked again, not taking his silence as an answer. Piers swallowed nervously, the feel of her breath brushing past his neck and the warmth of her up against him digging deeply. He cared so much for her, that it hurt to have her this close to him. He'd caused her so much pain that he couldn't take away.

"Back up there, in the cavern, I couldn't think straight. You were injured trying to help me, when all I was doing was trying to block you out…" He said, refusing to look down at her.

"That doesn't count as a failure, Piers." She replied, moving up closer to his face "You were trying to block out the pain, I can't imagine what you were going through. It's not your fault." Looking down, Mia rested her forehead against his chin, her arms tightening slightly around him.

"You have _never_ failed us, Piers, not in any way, shape, or form that I can remember." She whispered,

"But **I** can remember…" He murmured, "and I can't live with that guilt anymore." He moved his head so that she looked up into his eyes, "I can't live with the memories of my father's face, or my mother weeping, all because of my mistakes…" he whispered.

Mia blinked a few times, understanding and sympathy seeping into her eyes as they glistened with tears. She gripped the fabric on his back as she moved one of her arms, careful so as not to be torn away again. She gently placed her hand over his heart and held his eyes with her own.

"But that's all in the past now, Piers," she said softly, "You can't give up everything you can still have just because of something you couldn't stop before." She buried her face against him again, tears cascading once more down her face. He was shaking he realized, they both were, he held her tightly against him.

Everything he could still have? Only more guilt and pain on top of what was already there; those bright moments in his past faded in the wake of all that he had done wrong. Besides, how could he escape from this? How could he get her away from this place? From where he was the cause of such strife? There was, perhaps, one answer to that question. One form of, release…

"You can still escape." He said softly, Mia froze in his arms; she looked up at him with wide eyes,

"And you?" She asked, Piers looked away, feeling her tense and increase her hold on him.

"If I give up, then—"

"No." She choked; cutting him off "I won't leave you. Not here, not now." Piers pulled her close and bent his head to speak into her ear,

"You can go back," He said, "You can go back to the others and live out the rest of your life,"

"Not without you." She cut in, "I'd follow you, I know I would. Please, I can't live my life filled with regret, I wouldn't be able to let go of you, Piers." She brought both arms up around his neck, pushing away what he was saying, unwilling to believe he would consider it.

"Mia, please,"

"**_NO!_**" She shouted, in her out-burst, unthinking, she let go, her arms pinned to her sides. Her tear-filled eyes snapped open as she hung there, winds rushing past them both, the silence swallowing the echo of her voice. She tried to reach back out to him, tears flying upwards, glistening like small diamonds in the endless sea of darkness around them.

And the winds caught her.

They pulled at her, grappled with the lengths of her hair and the folds of her clothing, and pushed her up. Up, away from him, he reached out too late, she was already far beyond his grasp.

He saw her eyes, two sapphires set in a pale, flawless face. Precious gems that shone with fear and shattered hope, a hint of despair seeping into their watery depths. His breath caught for a moment, something shining from deeper inside of her, seeking any means of escape, pouring from her eyes and through her glistening tears.

Love.

Her rose-colored lips moved in the darkness, her soft voice swallowed as the gap between them grew. She screamed at the top of her lungs, but he could hardly hear at all. His mind assaulted by sudden waves of grief and longing. The feeling that, in letting go, he'd lost more than he'd ever thought possible. It reached his ears at last, her scream, it carried with it to much raw pain and emotion for him to bear. It dredged up old memories; it was his mother's scream.

"**_MIA, NO!_**" He shouted in disbelief, reaching vainly in the darkness, trying too reach out to her.

He'd done it again, caused such deep and un-ending pain in someone he cared for. Anger surged up in him, anger at himself, at the world, at the gods for cursing him like this. He screamed, he roared in a blind rage, lashing out at his pain and guilt. His hatred of himself falling short of his hate for what his emotions and self-pity had wrought for him. All of his cries smothered in the emptiness that blinded him.

He felt something foreign reaching out to him, icy claws that whispered of sleep and an end to the pain. He revolted against it, focusing only on her vanishing form, willing it to come back to him. He'd lost her; tears ran down his face, he hadn't felt them form. He looked down at his hands, still red from where she had bled. It was all that was left of her, a sick and morbid way of remembrance. He wrapped his arms around himself, unwilling to touch himself with her blood, allowing his tears to run unchecked. He was a true failure; he'd just allowed the one thing that could free him slip away.

"Mia…" He whispered hoarsely to the darkness, "I love you… I'm so sorry. Come back to me, please… Mia…" He shook violently, still falling, still moving away from her.

Why hadn't he told her sooner? Why hadn't he told her at all? There'd been so many chances, so many moments where he could have shared his love for her, and he never had. He would have given up everything to make her happy; he would have given it all up like he was now at the chance to see her smile. But here he was, doing just what he'd heard of so many times, giving his world for that one special person. But he couldn't take the pain; he couldn't take losing her like this.

_'I'd follow you, I know I would.'_ Her voice echoed in his mind, words spoken just short moments ago, his pain turning those minutes in to hours, days of agony. Giving up, it wouldn't make her happy. When this ended, she wouldn't look back on him fondly and then move on. He'd felt it in her, she would stay true to her words. She would follow him to end her own pain.

"I'm so sorry…"

A low humming seemed to fill the air, a buzz in his ear as he continued to plummet through the endless shadows. Piers didn't look around in a vain attempt to find the source of the noise, he could barley make it out amongst the chaos in his mind. A chaos that unknowingly pushed away the slight warmth that seeped into his skin, like the rays of the Golden Sun. They bathed him in light even as he fell through perpetual darkness.

The pain made it through to him though, tearing his mind from the woes of his heart. A different pain than that which had been smothering him all this time, not something that played with his emotions or views of the world. This was hot, sharp pain, cutting through every bone in his body, an iciness to freeze the blood in his veins, whilst his skin was bombarded with burning stone and doused with drops of liquid fire. He writhed in pain, trying to scream yet finding no breath to do so as his ribs were crushed by some un-seen giant's hand.

He opened his eyes, and found himself staring up into a golden light, a chain falling down from the center of it. He reached up with one scalded and bleeding hand, trying to grasp the golden links. His fingers brushed against one gently, the link melting into the air like a droplet of oil in water, small golden orbs floating around him, bathing him in their bright light, beating away the pain.

More of the links broke away from the chain, becoming long, liquid strands that circled the arm he had touched them with. He stared mesmerized as their light grew harsh around him, forcing him to shield his eyes. He felt the small dollops melding together around his arm, forming a manacle around his wrist. The chain then fading away, and left only fine, silk-like strands of gold spiraling up into the light.

He couldn't tell then what happened. His world spun and he felt like water inside a glass bottle, his form determined by that which contained him. He was completely aware of himself, not in the form of his physical self, but in every emotion and feeling, flowing through him. An undying love pulsing through his entire being, his Soul longing to be with it's other half.

And she came.

Mia poured herself through the Bond, wherever they were, lost without shape or true form, they were together. Words were nothing here, hollow sounds with no true meaning. The only meaning was that of their own emotions, calling to one another silently. They merged into each other, like the water that was their Element, a vast sea of them both.

He longed to remain like that forever; they both did, to while away eternity, showing his love for her. But it was not to be. His Soul would not accept death, or this half-life, not now, not yet, she wouldn't either, his other half. In a part of him, so far away it seemed, was a single seed of doubt. What if, what he felt was not all that true? What if, hidden away like his doubts, she held her own about him?

No, they could not stay, life called to him, his solid self fading away among the living. He could not abandon those who would not end their lives for years to come. As insignificant as a year could be to him here, that part of him that still wished to breath, to taste, to take in all that was unique to life, it revolted against such a long wait to be with his companions.

He let that part of him take control, that part that remembered his face, his voice, all that was his alone in life. It made him pull away, they both did, his Soul-mate understanding what was to come, what they must now leave behind. What he could call regret surged up in them both, but he reached out to her life-force, with the simple knowledge that they would still have each other in life.

He watched, he supposed that was what it could be called, with no body here, he had no true senses, as they re-claimed their corporeal forms. Still hanging in the darkness, still not among the living, only a breath from feeling and Life, he looked over at her, a white aura around her body, small white lights surrounding them both. He turned to face her, smiling slightly as he looked over her, where his confidence had come from, he wasn't sure, but he embraced her where they stood together, enveloping her in his arms as she snuggled in against him.

He held her like that for a few moments, hoping he would be again able to do so when he'd be able to truly appreciate the warmth coming off her. She sighed against him softly, arms snaking up and around his neck. She smiled up at him as he looked down at her. He bent down and brushed his lips against hers in a chaste kiss.

"It's time we went back now," He breathed, Mia nodded slightly. She reached up and met him again, not holding back it seemed as they kissed. The unending darkness around them lightening slowly to a dull grey, then lighter and lighter, until it was pure white.

And all he felt was pain and cold once more.

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Felix jumped to his feet as the doors seemed to shimmer ethereally. Glancing around at his companions, Isaac was the first to slide his sword from its scabbard.

"Looks like they're back."

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	17. All That We Hold Dear

**Chapter 17**

All That We Hold Dear

Babi sat nervously on the foot of the goddess's statue, anxiously tapping one hand against the cold stone. Black, beady eyes darting up to the ice-doors every few moments, his thin tongue darting out to wet his lips nervously. So close, those adepts had come so close to breaking in that time. Had the doors not stopped only half-open before swinging shut once more, they'd have entered and finished him.

Babi rested his hand on the smooth shaft of the trident, feeling the mystic energy pulsing through the metal. It screamed silently for the Master's blood; only that would satisfy this mighty weapon. Babi grinned, he would give it that which it craved, and then he would gain what it was he wished most. Ultimate power over the lands through the manipulation of the seas.

He jumped down from his perch, landing lightly on his feet, Trident still in hand. Those fools beyond the door, they really thought they could stop him. He'd show them.

He moved to stand over them both, the keys to his victory. They hadn't moved at all since the sound of shattering glass, he was becoming almost worried at how long this was taking. If they both failed this test then he would have lost everything and gained nothing. He tightened his hold on the Trident, gritting his teeth in anger.

'_They won't fail.'_ He told himself, _'He's too weak to awaken unless he holds the power of Mercury, but she isn't going to leave him until he does. If he can be guilted into living if only to save her, then I have nothing to fear.'_ He nodded and rocked back on his heels impatiently. _'I just wish they'd hurry up alread—'_ Babi was abruptly cut off as there was a loud bang coming from the doors, he spun just in time to see large cracks run through the ice, a red light glowing through them.

'_No…'_ He thought in disbelief, holding the Trident out in front of him as protection. _'They can't break through the doors unless—'_ Another large crash made him jump as a large chunk of ice fell from the doors, he could see those who stood behind it, he rounded on the large statue, shaking his fist at it in rage.

"Damn you, Luna this is your sanctum, don't let them in!!" He shouted. In his rage he almost missed a soft whimper just behind him. Babi spun on his heel, staring wide-eyed in shock as he saw the girl's eyes wide open. She looked almost feverish as she gasped for air and tried to take in her surroundings, her large blue eyes refusing to focus. Babi cursed darkly as she pushed herself up, he raised the trident, aiming it at the back of her skull as she moved forwards to kiss the young man hard on the lips.

Everything seemed to move so slowly, he tried to force the mighty weapon down faster, but he was too late. The boy's eyes shot open, light poured from between them as he grabbed her shoulders. The light shot out in a dome, striking the Trident and throwing Babi back across the room. He sat up, spluttering as the Trident slipped from his grasp in the shallow canal. He looked back at the two, their forms glowing like the sphere the Goddess held, the doors finally giving way and admitting the Adepts.

They looked as if they would enter the sanctum, but as the older Venus-Adept stepped forwards, the waters in the canals swelled, barring their way. And a sharp order from Hydros halted any attempts to bridge the growing gap.

Seeing this, Babi paid them no more mind, he shot forwards from where he remained in the water, darting to where he saw the Trident a ways off. His thin fingers closing 'round the shaft as he looked up at his intended victims. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, his weak abilities with psynergy picking up the Adept's attempts to hinder him as the ground beneath him leaped slightly. He grinned maliciously, this was Mercury Lighthouse, thus they held no power here.

He heard one of them shout a warning as he splashed through the shallow waters, and up the small rise to where the two lay, consumed in light. As he raised the Trident to strike again, he would not be thrust away. He slammed the three-pronged weapon into the barrier, shafts of light spewing out from the area he attacked. And oh, glorious, glorious day… it shattered.

The water in the canals seemed to freeze for a brief moment, what looked like a giant wave running up against the sides of the broken dome that shielded the Mercurians, forming a shaft of pure, blue light, leading up to the Beacon above. Babi didn't release the Trident as ice ran up the shaft, coating his hands and creeping slowly up his arms. He shut his eyes and looked away, completely un-prepared for what happened next.

The Beacon went out.

The fire atop Mercury Lighthouse flared and suddenly died, cutting off the power to the Lighthouse and the chamber below it. The light from the goddess's sphere spluttered and went out, as did that from the two Adepts, leaving the entire cavern in complete, blanketing darkness, but for the lone opening far above them.

There was complete silence as well, none of the Adepts or Babi having any idea what was happening. Then there was a spark; like some one quickly striking flint and steel, trying to light a fire, and it came from the place Piers and Mia lay. That spark was all there was, just before harsh pale, almost white light exploded from that small space. Rocketing up towards the Aerie, filling the air with tiny, iridescent lights as it moved, the Orb the Goddess held flaring into life once more.

A beam of pure energy rocketed from the center of the orb towards the two Mercury-Adepts, shattering the ice around Babi, and forcing him back once more it began to shrink significantly as it did so. The winds howled in the vast cavern became a vortex around the shaft of alchemy steaming up into the Beacon, lifting the water up, and creating a hollow tube that pulsed brightly like a heart beat. As the last of the Orb shot away into the base of the vortex, the column of water froze, not into ice; it just hung there a moment. Before it shifted slightly, and its weight brought it crashing back down to the cavern floor with bone crushing force, the entire Lighthouse shook with the echo of the crash.

Babi rose slowly to his feet, glancing around narrowly as the water continued to fall like rain, misting the entire space. He moved to where the Trident lay on the floor, no sign of the Adepts he had attacked. He bent down to retrieve it, the rest of their companions still too stunned to move. As he looked over the Prongs of the Trident, a sadistic smile spread across his face. As each prong about six inches up was coated in a thick layer of warm blood.

He smiled sickly, looking down at the floor, a large patch of blood was visible, the stone where they had rested oddly un-touched by the raging waters. The remains of the water still hung thickly in the air, enough to obscure his vision of the doors and the Adepts he knew were there.

Then came the voice,

"You would do well not to try that again." Babi spun instantly towards the voice, finding nothing in the mist. He looked around vainly, the words had sounded so clear, like the person had stood right at his ear to speak them. He felt a sudden shift in the air around him, and an iciness grip his throat,

"But then again, you won't have a chance to."

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'_I don't want this.'_ He thought, suspended in a place of un-ending light. It looked like he was on the ocean floor, small shards of crystal floating carelessly through the air, in a sea of tranquil blue. Each shard a small window looking out on the world from wherever water flowed. One shard spun before him, the small light it gave off magnified as it spun quickly, giving him access to that which he saw.

Babi clawed at his own throat, unable to remove the thin band of air-born water, tightening around his neck. The trident lay at his feet, forgotten as he fought for his life. He tightened the arm he held around Mia's waist, some of his power flowing through his fingers and into the three wounds on her back, healing her swiftly. At the same time, he released the hold he had on the thin cord of water, allowing the cursed man to fill his lungs and breathe.

Mia breathed easier against him as the wounds closed completely, and she pressed her face against his shoulder. Her breathing no longer labored as they both hung in the light.

"I don't want this power." He said; looking away from the window, so the man could not hear his voice. Mia moved against him s she looked up at him,

"Can you get rid of it?" She asked, she sounded tired, no, exhausted. Just as he now felt, he couldn't take the strain of this power as he was. "Piers?" She asked, he looked down and met her eyes.

"I don't know, I won't try until he's dead though." He added, tightening his hold on her "I'm not going to risk losing you again." He said, she nodded slowly, turning back to the window,

"Can you send me through?" She asked him, he blinked a few times, "can you send me to where the others are, and get them out? Would that make this easier?" She asked, Piers thought for a moment before nodding.

"Yes it would." He answered, "If I did not have to worry about harming them." His expression darkened, "Then I could end this sooner." Mia nodded, and he funneled his power into the small shard before them, changing where it looked out until he saw his friends and uncle.

"Don't do anything stupid." She said softly, Piers nodded, looking down at her again,

"I'll make sure he doesn't see you, I'll distract him from the doors." Mia's brow furrowed as he created an opening in the mists,

"That was sort of what I meant."


	18. Together We Fight

**Chapter 18**

Together We Fight

Jenna cringed and leaned heavily on Felix from where they were crouched near the wall. The mists in the chamber before them hadn't settled in the least, creating an impenetrable wall between them, their friends, and Babi. She closed her eyes and buried her face against her brother, weathering through the power of Mercury as it assaulted her mind, making everything ache. Felix tightened his arm around her protectively as her world continued to spin.

"Isn't there anything we can do, Magesty?" Lunpa asked. Jenna cracked one eye open to look at Hydros. The Ancient King looked grim as his golden eyes scanned the thick blanket of mist, much like the shroud around Lemuria and the Sea of Time. His eyes seemed too look inward as he stood unmoving for a moment more. Lunpa moving as if too repeat the question before the King's focus returned and he shook his head.

"No, Lunpa." He said sullenly. "This is, by my guess, Piers' final test. I doubt if even Mia is of any help to him now." The already low mood took another sever drop, moral reaching an all-time low among the eight, or at the moment, six, Adepts.

Jenna felt Felix shift against her as he pulled off his scarf and wrapped it around her. She was a bit confused for a moment, until he settled down again and she realized she was shivering.

"You don't look so good, Garet." Ivan commented, moving over to where the other Mars-Adept was shivering in a corner.

"It-It's just, chilly… that's a-all." He managed, teeth chattering. Isaac glanced over at his friend.

"Garet, your lips are going blue! It isn't that cold down here..." Isaac sounded concerned "You were fine in Imil and Mercury-Lighthouse before." Sheba walked over and crouched down next to Jenna to look over her friend.

"Jenna, you weren't reacting like this in Prox or Tundaria," The Jupiter Adept said softly, worry creeping into her emerald eyes. Felix reached down and took one of her hands, his eyes widened slightly as she noticed how warm he felt.

"I-I'm fine." She stuttered. Jenna tried to ignore her teeth chattering as she curled up against her brother a bit more. Felix had always been warm, ever since they'd been little. It came from him being connected with Weyar, but he was always the one who got cold. Not her. She was like mum, she was the Mars-Adept, Mars-Adepts didn't get cold. Felix didn't look convinced by her statement though.

"You're freezing, we need to get you out of here." He said sternly, his eyes darting to where Garet was in a similar state. "_Both_ of you." Regardless of the nausea that hit her, Jenna shook her head at the suggestion.

"W-we can't leave Mia and Piers d-down here, F-Felix." She stuttered, "T-They might be i-injured when they get out. T-They'll need s-some one here t-to help t-them..." Jenna was forced to close her eyes again as her vision became clouded, it felt like ice was running through her veins. She wrapped her arms around Felix, knowing it would only steel his resolve to take her back, but not caring as she seemed unable to keep herself warm.

Dimly, Jenna tried to focus her energy on herself, hoping a burst of fire would help her retain some of her resistance. But as she reached out for her psynergy, all she found was more pain that made her world spin even faster. Felix sensed what she was trying, and when she failed he rubbed her arms and it was his energy instead which wrapped itself around her.

The warmth helped her regain the feeling in her limbs, but as soon as she tried to move a bit, her head spun and she was forced back down with a groan. Only a few minutes later her legs began going numb again.

Jenna curled up against her brother again, and heard the other talking. She couldn't hear what it was though, but she was startled as Felix moved again to stand. This time though, he helped her to her feet as well, wrapping one arm around her to steady her. Jenna looked over at where Isaac was helping Garet as well.

"B-But Felix, w-we can't go..." She protested. But Felix didn't waver as the group started moving. Jenna stumbled a few times before she was able to force her legs to move properly. Felix keeping that one arm around her the whole time, making sure she didn't fall.

Jenna looked back as the doors fell out of sight,

'_Let them be okay...'_ She thought.

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Mia watched from the mists as the others vanished around the bed, heading back to Lemuria. She felt guilty for playing on Jenna and Garet's weakness to Water, but at least it was getting them out of the Lighthouse.

She let out a relieved sigh as she turned back to the sanctum. There were so many things she couldn't describe at the moment, foremost in her mind being the fact that she wasn't just hiding in the mists, she was a _part_ of them. Mia shook her head as she looked into the chamber, feeling a bit confused as she couldn't see all the way through.

'_It doesn't matter, I'll just go through.'_ She thought with a nod. Mia took a step forward, and felt her toe bump against something solid. She blinked and kicked at whatever it was, looking down she could see nothing in front of her foot. She reached out so that she ran up against it again, then, looking straight ahead, she reached up and placed one hand in front of her. Her hand came into contact with something solid and cold, like ice.

'_A wall?'_ She thought, confused as she ran her hand across whatever was in front of her. Bringing up her other hand, Mia tried to push against the barrier. Trying to ignore the fear the bubbled up as she rammed her shoulder against it, trying to break through. Mia felt her eyes widen as she backed up a step, searching for a way through.

Her breath caught in her throat as she felt her back run up against something solid. Mia spun and placed her hands out, feeling them hit another invisible wall.

'_What's going on?'_ She thought franticly, trapped in the doorway and not able to move either way through it. This couldn't be Piers; she could possibly understand him blocking her from re-entering the chamber, but barricading her way out as well?

Mia turned as she felt a tingle down her spine, eyes searching the small space. Some how, she knew what was coming.

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Piers crouched behind the statue of Luna, keeping one ear open to the movements of his opponent. His head was beginning to pound as he summed up the strength to rocket more water into the air, maintaining the walls of mist, blanketing the space. It was getting harder and harder to maintain his focus, where was Mia?

"I can feel you weakening, Boy." Babi spoke clearly. Piers could sense the other man standing in the center of the chamber, turning slowly in an attempt to feel Piers out of hiding. "No man can hold that power alone, where did the young woman go?" Piers could almost feel the smile creeping into his voice, "Did you send her away, Piers? Perhaps, out past the Chamber walls? Silly boy... You should have taken the time to study that prophecy a bit more. Once she's left, she can't get back in."

Piers scowled, trying not to heed the other man's voice. He knew Babi; this was one of his mind games. Babi sighed.

"You know the power will kill you, don't you, Boy?" Babi asked, "No mortal can wield it without succumbing to death. Not even Lemurians, who, by many, are considered Immortal."

'_What, is he suggesting I die now and let him rule the world? I think not.'_ Piers thought bitterly. He cringed as it felt like he was doused in water, trying to smother his power to make sure the Trident did not pick up on him.

"Yes, your people are considered Immortal, Boy, they live so long, few realize that you can die, and naturally as well." Babi said, almost casually, "When was the last time you drank from the fountain in the heart of the city, Piers?" He asked, his voice like velvet as it took on a slightly different tone, to his memory, this was the first time Piers had heard Babi call him by his name. He hated the sound of it.

"It's like a drug, Boy, I know you feel it. Your body craving the fountains water more and more with each passing day. You're used to drinking some whenever you feel a slight bit parched, and you've been cut off." Piers clenched his teeth, forcing himself to remain hidden as that icy feel returned. "How long has it been? Four months? Five? A whole year even?" He questioned, "You need more of it; that was one of the many things you needed when you returned to the city." He stated clearly "You didn't realize it, did you? How your thirst has been growing these past few months, how the water in your cup just couldn't satisfy you. You felt it, you must have."

Piers swallowed nervously, pushing back the other man's words as he fought to keep his mind straight, tried to ignore the incessant pounding in his head. He just had to hold out until Mia returned, and then it would get easier. He just had to hold out until she came back.

'_Mia, what's going on?'_

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"You did this." Mia said, voice hard, her words met with a shrill laughter. The water Deity from that crystal maze forming in the screens of mist. White eyes regarded her a moment.

"You didn't think you could get rid of me, did you?" She questioned in that harsh voice, and Mia simply glared at her,

"Let me in." She demanded, the Deity shrugged over-dramatically.

"No can-do." She said in a ho-hum sort of voice, smirking as she gestured to where the walls stood, Mia thought she saw something shimmer in the pale light. "He has his test to complete, you can't interfere. Not with this part, it's a simple idea really. You see, Luna has no doubts about him succeeding in his trials, but Sol isn't so convinced." Mia blinked, was she talking about _the_ Sol and Luna? The gods of the Sun and the Moon? Impossible.

"So? What does that have to do with anything?" She asked, pushing aside her confusion. The Deity smirked again, giving out a secretive giggle.

"See, both of them want him to succeed, they get all sentimental about hurting people of a pure heart and all that." She said simply, Mia felt her eye-brows creep up at this, but forced them back down. The Imp-like creature didn't wait for a reply before continuing.

"They want to give Piers a bit of an incentive to win, like his life isn't enough," she added sarcastically, before continuing "So they asked _me_ to figure out something appropriate." Mia felt her anger rising slightly, not trusting the Deity in the least. Unable to forget her words in the Cavern, or how she had thrown Piers and her into that, pit, or whatever it had been. She glared darkly as the Sprite looked intrigued by her reactions. She gestured to the walls with one blue hand,

"If Piers survives and everything, you are free to go on your merry way, if he doesn't," She grinned mischievously, "Then you stay." Mia blinked,

"What?" She asked in disbelief.

"If he dies," the Spirit said, taking on a taunting tone, "Then. You. Stay. Here. Right here. Right in between these two walls, to help guard the Sanctum." She grinned as Mia felt her eyes widening. Fear working its way into her system as she tried to see past the mists, they seemed to part and Mia was able to see Babi turning around in circles, taking in the whole chamber. Mia placed her hands against the wall as she heard the Spirit's voice one last time as she vanished.

"_Forever._"

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"Come now, Boy, I know you can't keep this up much longer." Babi said coyly, Piers cringed as that iciness just wouldn't let up this time.

'_Mia... where _**are**_ you?'_ He thought. A dull ache pulsing through him, causing his head to spin as he was swamped with nausea. He bit back a groan that could give him away. It was becoming harder and harder to ignore Babi's words, as Piers felt the power running through him ebbing away slightly. '_I can't hold out, I need you to help me, Mia...' _

"Do you know what it is that binds you to defeat in this match, Lad?" Babi asked in a regal tone. "It is your unwillingness to move on. In the face of such awesome strength, all within your grasp, you will not let go of this empty life you live. The power within you is too much for your earthen form. It will devour your essence and leave nothing but an empty shell in your place."

'_Mia...'_

Piers squeezed his eyes shut, opening them again to try and rid his vision of the dots floating past his eyes. He was caught off-guard by the Trident's powers this time, and cringed as he somehow felt Babi's contempt. He'd found him, Piers cursed himself as he suddenly found his legs cased in ice. He couldn't explain why though, even the simplest forms of thought seemed to elude him.

He looked up as Babi rounded the corner of the Goddess's Statue, the Trident still held loosely in one hand. His grin pulling tightly at the skin around his aged face, dark eyes alight as he had his pray, and goal, within grasp.

"You cannot be a God, with the body of a Man, Piers." He said simply, using the middle prong of the Trident to prop Piers' head up. The Mariner glared up at him defiantly, readying his power for what he knew would be his last jump.

"You're wrong." He said hoarsely, hating how weak he sounded, "You can't be a God, if all you _want_ is to be a Man."

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"_Piers!_" Mia screamed, pounding on the wall as he just seemed to appear on his hands and knees on one of the islands in the center of the Chamber. She knew he couldn't hear her as he tried to move away. Only to have his strength give out, and he collapsed to the ground.

Tears streamed down her face as Babi reappeared from where he had disappeared behind Luna's Statue. He looked over Piers' feeble attempts to escape for a moment in interest before he made his way down to the embankment. He moved through the shallow waters to get to the small island where Piers had yet to stand up.

"No! Piers, behind you! Get up! Please, Piers, just get up!" She sobbed. Mia felt fire flare across her shoulder as she rammed her fist into the wall. She was rocketed back-wards a few feet until she collided into the second one. This one made it feel as if she had been stuck by Lightning. Electricity fired through her, forcing her vision to black out for a moment before she collapsed to the ground.

"No..." She sobbed, her right shoulder burning as she forced herself up. She struggled to her feet. One hand clutched at her wound, Ignoring the sharp pain and hot blood pouring down her arm. It was deep, and painful, but not mortal.

"Leave him alone!" She screamed as Babi kicked Piers a few times where he lay. Each time his foot coming contact sending a spasm through him. Mia screamed as what felt like wires cut into her ankles. Forcing her to the ground again. She sobbed un-controllably as she saw Piers manage to roll over slightly, but do little more. Something unseen seemed to be causing him pain aside from Babi's attacks. Mia watched as Piers' eyes drifted over to the doors, her breath caught as she saw his eyes widen slightly.

'_H-he can see me?'_ She thought past the pain, reaching out her bloody hand to rest it against the barrier trying to find some way through. There had to be a way. She screamed again as there was a slice across her back. She felt her cloak being shredded as she was repeatedly whipped.

"PIERS!" She screamed again, his eyes were wide in terror as he watched her torture. Babi looked at the door as well, trying to see what had caught his attention. His eyes moved across the doors, but saw nothing.

Mia tried to reach one hand out to him, she screamed as she felt fire across her cheek. Flung her hand to her face, but it did nothing. Mia felt the skin under her hand splitting open, could feel more blood coating her hand. She understood now what was happening. Every time she tried to reach out she was hurt. Every time there was nothing she could do.

It was something she was becoming used to...

Like when Piers had been asleep, she hadn't been able to help him.

And when he'd been in pain before that, there had been nothing she could do.

And now, she could see it in his eyes, now she was the cause of his pain...

'_I don't care.'_ She thought to herself, unable to stop from shaking in pain, her body screaming for an end. _'I don't care about the pain I feel, Piers, you have to get through this...'_

"Piers!" She shouted, her voice faltering, "Piers you can't give up now! Please! D-Don't let him win!"

She threw herself forwards, screaming in agony as she felt something clamp around her neck. It felt like metal, and it was hot enough that it scalded her neck. It jerked her up. Pulling her back against the barrier behind her. Mia screamed her throat raw as it felt like thousands of sharp needles imbedded themselves in her flesh. She was breathless. Tears steaming down her face and neck as the clothing over her heart burst into flames. And Mia felt a red-hot iron slamming down on her.

Everything went black.

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"MIA!" Piers screamed, Babi searched the cavern, he couldn't see what Piers could, But he'd heard the scream. Hell, even a deaf man would have heard the pain in it, it was that raw.

So to Piers, who watched the small amount of blood trickled past Mia's lips, saw the flames over her heart die. Leaving only a blackened; bleeding patch, marring her skin. Who could only watch as her bloody, beaten body collapsed lifelessly to the ground. It was hell, in all its blackest, most unforgiving forms. He'd thought pain had been with him in the darkness, and it had, but it still paled to the grief running through him now.

'_Not again... No… no, no, no... I can't loose you again...'_ He thought numbly, feeling the power coursing through him tearing him away.

Something snapped.

Too much.

Everyone has their breaking point, everyone, and Piers had found his. His tears dried, his lips pulled back into a snarl. He looked over himself in disgust, was this really all he was? Was this all that was left of him? Some poor soul to spend the rest of eternity wallowing in self-pity and shame? No. No, there was more.

"It seems you are all alone now, Lad." Piers felt his anger, no, his _rage_ soar. He noticed a shard of stone next to him, about as long as his hand, with a long pointed edge. Piers didn't feel the pain in his mind, or body. He pushed it all away. A part of him reasoned that it was probably him finally slipping, but even that small portion didn't care.

Enough was enough.

He knew what he had to do.

Piers snatched the shard off of the pearly white stone, flipping onto his back to glare up into his opponent's eyes. Babi was taken aback by his sudden movements, the Trident he had held poised, going slack for a brief instant.To long for Babi.

Piers lashed out, slashing at his attacker's legs. Only able to graze the surface of the man's shin. Babi cursed and glanced down at the shallow wound, it was just deep enough to draw blood.

'_Pathetic.'_ He thought with a sneer.

'_Perfect.'_ Piers thought. He took old of the power slipping away from him; he wouldn't need much for this. He climbed up into a crouch, throwing his hands up in attack, the moment he did so the water in the nearest canal surged up, dousing Babi in an enraged torrent. They drained away quickly, leaving Babi still standing strong.

"What was _that?_" Babi shouted mockingly, feeling the water retreating swiftly, he broke into laughter. "_This_ is your final move? Getting me _wet?_" He laughed, prancing around to show that he was fine, an insane smile painted over his. In his show, he failed to notice what Piers was doing.

"Do you know what blood is made of?" Piers asked softly, glaring up at his opponent, allowing his rage to come through his eyes and voice. Babi stopped and met his eyes.

"What do you-?" Babi was cut off; he made a strangled sound as his eyes went wide in disbelief. He glanced down in shock, the wet stone beneath him covered in his own blood. Piers watched in contempt as Babi swayed slightly, stumbling around as he tried to remain standing. Failing, and falling to his knees, breathing hard.

"Y-You can't... No, you aren't a-a killer..." he choked, Piers narrowed his eyes in disgust.

"No," he said simply, "but I don't believe I should allow the water in your blood to fuel you on. So I'm taking it back." Piers concentrated on the water that had seeped into the small cut on Babi's leg, using it to turn the man's own blood against him. Piers pulled it out, all of it, every last drop. One drop for every moment of torment he or Mia had every felt because of him. And the others, and the many people Babi had hurt in his lifetime. Piers' parents, his uncle, Hydros, Lunpa, even the people of Lalivero. All in all, it added up to a lot of blood.

Piers let the power he held fall away, looking over the massive amounts of blood surrounding Babi's corpse. Piers was still on his knees as he tried to gain the strength to stand. He couldn't.

So he crawled, he didn't care how he got there, how he made his way to the doors.

To Mia.

He pulled his weakening form to where he had seen her. For a moment as he came up, he saw nothing. He reached out to where he had seen her, he felt his hand run up against something hard, like a wall that blocked him. He pushed against it, not willing to believe he would be blocked by this, his anger faded swiftly as he found no way through.

'_No, Mia...'_ he thought, feeling defeated, his vision kept blacking out. He cursed the power he could still feel, willing it away from him.

It wouldn't go.

"Mia..." He said, hoarsely, "Mia... where are you? ...I know you're here... Mia..."

"Let me." He couldn't remember the voice, he knew he'd heard it before, haunting him, torturing him... It held none of that cruelness now.

The wall fell away, like the mists that had long since settled down. There she was. Piers could have screamed when he saw her, but he didn't have the strength to. He pulled himself over to her. They were both soaking wet, he didn't care of course.

Gently, oh so gently, he rolled her over, careful of her shoulder, and her back, and, and of everything. He felt tears forming and felt no shame as he couldn't stop them. He could feel no warmth coming from her beaten form as he let himself down next to her. Piers wrapped one arm around her gently, holding her softly against his chest. He didn't have the strength to heal her. His tears bitter as he placed a soft kiss on her forehead, and settled down with her.

He could hardly think,

Breathing was hard,

He couldn't feel her pulse,

He just let his grief carry him away.


	19. For the End is Near

**Chapter 19**

For the End is Near

Isaac ran down the stone passage Felix, Ivan, Sheba, Hydros and Leon at his heels. They'd all heard a scream, they didn't know how though; they had already crossed over into Ancient Lemuria again. But they'd all heard it.

"There!" Ivan shouted, pointing ahead at where the doors were. Both mammoth walls of ice were still wide open, the mists from before had dissipated. Isaac felt his heart leap into his throat as his spotted a large mound just inside the doors. Isaac fell down next to his friends as he came up, Felix coming down next to him.

"By Gaia..." The other Venus-adept breathed, looking over their friends. He reached over and carefully removed Piers' arm from where it was around Mia. Leon went ghostly white as he carefully turned his nephew over, holding his head in his lap as he felt around Piers' neck. The Lumurian glowing slightly as he summoned his strength and a dusting of blue light clouded the air, what almost looked like a small fairy skittered through the energy before vanishing. Hydros was bending down to do the same for Mia.

Isaac kept his attention on Mia; he was terrified by her condition. She was lying in a pool of her own blood, her skin so pale she looked almost dead. It seemed as if something had torn through her shoulder, cutting down to the bone. There was a deep gouge across one of her cheeks, the blood turning black as it scabbed over, her hand also black from her own blood. The skin around her neck was cracked and peeling, blood seeping though slightly. At her ankles Isaac saw trace amounts of blood seeping though her ruined boots.

"Oh gods," Sheba whimpered, "we should never have let them go in there..." Ivan stood at her side; he had one arm around her shoulder tightly, trying to comfort her.

"He's barely breathing..." Leon chocked, Isaac glanced over and saw the pained expression on the Lemurian's face. He swallowed hard and turned back to Mia.

"Come on, Mia," he muttered, focusing his own energies and firmly taking hold of that warmth within himself. He funneled it down through his arms and hands and into her, as thickly and potently as he could hoping to knit flesh back together, heal those horrible burns. "Come on, you guys can manage this, just don't give up."

"I doubt that will do him any good, Felix." Hydros said calmly, Isaac glanced over again and spotted the small glowing vial his friend held, golden liquid swirling inside of it. "Mia is the only one with injuries," Felix regarded the King a moment.

"We have to try everything, anything we can." He said calmly, Hydros considered before nodding slightly. Isaac, without a Water of Life with him, resorted to deepening his own efforts, reaching farther into Mia's prone form, into the heart and lungs to stimulate them keep them going.

It felt like hours before the silence was broken.

"I think the bleeding's slowed," Hydros said, Isaac wasn't sure how long it had been, his energies completely drained as Felix nodded.

"There's little more we can do for either of them here. Let's hurry and return them to the ship."

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He couldn't explain it really, amidst to turmoil inside of him there was still a scrape of peace. Piers didn't feel any cold, barely able to notice when he lost the feeling of Mia next to him.

He stood in a vaulting hall. One wall was made of solid marble, reaching up at least twenty feet. It shone brightly with the golden light coming from the other side, which, instead of something solid, the wall to his left was made up of mighty pillars or the same polished stone. Dark wooden panels were embedded into the solid wall, various scenes carved into the ebony.

He reached up with one hand to touch one of these carvings. For some reason he could not see how his storm-weathered, battle-worn hands, were somehow different in this place. They bore none of the scars from his travels and unsafe life. Piers blinked,

Wait, why would they be scared?

For some reason the answer eluded him. He knew it to be something painfully obvious, so why could he not grasp it? He shook his head, not seeing the point in worrying over it.

'_I hope the others are all okay.' _He thought solemnly, his brows then furrowed slightly.

What others?

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'_Mia? Mia, please wake up. Please, show us you're still here...' _

'_Mia, come on, you can pull through this. Just try, come on.'_

'_Unnnn...?'_

'_M-Mia, come on. P-please don't die! You can't! N-not yet...'_

'_Wha... M-Mist?'_

Mia felt her eyes open, but everything was so bright that she had to close them again.

"Mia?" The voice was little more than a high squeak, but Mia knew it instantly. She forced her eyes open again, keeping them half closed so the light wouldn't hurt her again. She was just able to make out Mist's small form as well as those of Sour, Fizz, Sleet, Hail, Fog, Gel, Balm, Eddy and Serac.

The Djinn were all around her where she realized she was lying in bed. Blankets had been carefully wrapped around her to keep her warm. For a moment she couldn't remember anything, nothing more than feeling pain before everything cut out. She couldn't remember what had hurt her though, or why she hadn't been able to stop it. All she was sure of was that it was a miracle she was alive.

"…What happened...?" She murmured, feeling so drained, the Djinn jumped and she heard them moving around on the bed.

"Are you in any pain, Mia?" Eddy asked softly, Mia remained silent for a moment, she had one hand tucked under her head, and could feel bandages over her cheek.

Was she in pain? She couldn't tell really, everything seemed so far away. Closing her eyes, Mia remembered dimly the places she had been hurt. Her back felt fine, her ankles sore but alright as she flexed them experimentally. Her shoulder was numb, though not paining her, and there was little feeling on the right side of her face. She couldn't tell what condition her neck was in, she was too drained to try and move her head.

She remembered what had hurt her most, the blinding pain over her heart. Mia moved around slightly, trying to touch the patch that had been branded. She could have wept when she felt nothing again. No pain as she pressed on the skin, it was scarred though, badly. But from what she could feel it was nothing to important, nothing below the skin was hurt.

"Mia?" Eddy repeated, she smiled and shook her head,

"I-I'm fine," She managed, "I'm exhausted, but I'm fine." The Djinn seemed to relax a bit.

"Every one was so worried, Mia, they all burnt out there psynergy trying to close the wounds. But now that you're alright, then they can all just focus on—"

"Shade! SHHH!"

"Mia, what do you remember exactly?" Fizz cut in, trying to shift her attention from the others who were at the moment ganging up on Shade. Mia kept her eyes closed as she tried to think back.

"Th- I ran into the Deity that was tormenting Piers when he was asleep. She trapped me somehow, and I couldn't help him." Mia paused for a moment, opening her eyes to see the Djinn listening closely. "Whenever I tried reaching out, I was hurt, but I just kept trying. Over and over again until he saw me, but he couldn't help me, and I blacked out." She paused, remembering something else, something the chilled her blood. Mia noticed the Djinn tense slightly.

"Where… where is Piers?" She asked, her voice shaking, remembering Babi standing over him, ready to strike. Her eyes sought out Shade. "Where is he, Shade?" the Djinni jumped slightly, backing away from her. It became hard to breathe, "_Shade?_" She couldn't keep the slight amounts of desperation from her voice.

"He, he's on board, Mia." Serac said, curling up against her trying to sooth her. Mia wouldn't have any of it.

"Where? Where on the ship?" She asked,

"Mia, you should rest now," Sour urged, Mia shook her head,

"Not until I see him. Now tell me where he is." She said simply. As the Djinn remained quiet, Mia forced herself up, needing to know Piers was still alive, even if just barely.

The blankets slipped down and off her bare shoulders as she pushed herself up, Mia just realizing she hadn't had anything on. She gave it little thought, but enough so that she began glancing around her small cabin looking for her bag.

"Mia lay down! You shouldn't be moving around like that!" Hail shrieked, jumping up and hovering in front of her to keep her from getting up. It was un-necessary though. As Mia twisted in order to sit up properly, holding one of the sheets around her, she pulled at the wounds on her back. Her head instantly beginning to spin however, and she felt herself falling.

"Mia!"

She cringed as she felt the Djinn propping her up, all of them scrambling furiously to keep her from falling to the ground. For some reason she couldn't find the strength to move, all of her half-healed wounds suddenly flaring to life again. She felt blood seeping through the wrappings on her back.

"Is she awake yet yo—Mia!" Jenna let out a horrified screech as she rushed from the door to her friend. Mia felt her friend's hands on her shoulders as she helped move her back down onto her side. Jenna instantly covered her again, murmuring to her softly as she scolded the Djinn at the same time. Mia couldn't hear what she was saying exactly, her mind unable to focus on anything past how badly she was hurting on the outside, and how she wanted nothing more than for Piers to help her...

"Jenna?" She whimpered; she felt tears streaming down her face. Jenna left the bed for a moment, coming back with something soft to wipe her face. "Jenna… is he alright?" She managed, Jenna's hand stopped, "Is he alive?"

"Oh, Mia," Jenna said softly, one hand gently rubbing her friend's arm, careful not to go to high because of the wound on her shoulder. Mia heard the door crack open,

"Hey is everything alright in h—"

"GET THE HELL OUT NOW, GARET!" Jenna roared as she jumped to her feet. Mia unable to see the comedy in the situation as the world's colors shifted and a plume of flames launched themselves from Jenna's hands and Garet's panicked foot-steps leading away from the cabin door. Jenna changed completely, reverting back to her calm self as she took Mia's hand "He's alive, Mia," She said softly "I promise you that, but..."

"But he's fading..." She finished. Mia felt herself shaking as she sobbed into the covers around her. "I have to see him," She choked; she squeezed the Mars-Adept's hand. "Please... Jenna I have to see him..." She whispered, nearly begging. Jenna bit her lip and looked away, thinking for a moment.

Mia kept crying as her friend let go of her hand and stood again. For a moment Mia thought Jenna was going to leave, but was relieved as her friend moved around the cabin for a moment. She was so relieved when Jenna came back to the bed and gently helped her up. Mia looked at what the other Adept was holding. It was one of her night gowns.

"You'll need help," Jenna said flatly looking over the Djinn, "Be careful of your wounds, call me if you need anything, I'll be right outside the door." Mia was still crying as she nodded to her friend.

"Thank you, Jenna." She said hoarsely as the Mars-Adept stood and made her way to the door.

"No problem, Mia." She replied softly. On the other side, Jenna rested her back against the wood. Making sure she was able to keep her tears in check. "I'm not going to keep you away from him, Mia. I know how much you'll need to be there if he doesn't make it..."

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The carvings on the wall pulled at him, tugging at something he couldn't quite remember. Piers ran his hands along them, walking slowly down the hall, feeling no hurry what-so-ever to reach the end. So many scenes, so many memories, they were all so familiar, as if he had lived them himself.

Hadn't he? Maybe, some of the things he saw... No, it couldn't be him. Piers shook his head, bemused, and unable to come up with a straight answer as he looked over the scenes.

Where he was now, was a mighty storm, tossing a dragon-headed ship in the waves. Wings were protruding from the sides, and a pillar of light ascending from the deck.

Just after that, there was one of the same ship. Battered and abused from the storms, crews working to repair it. Piers couldn't tell how he knew they were fixing it, but again, something just pulled at him. Looking over the life-like faces, he could almost hear their rough conversation. But it wasn't the main part of the carving, for this one it was of the pair below decks. Again, something pulled at him, stronger this time, but still something that only just grazed his consciousness. The two were talking to one another, laughing and enjoying each other's company. So familiar, but still so far away.

Piers took his time with each and every carving, knowing he was missing something, but unable to put a name to it. There was a familiarity with what he was looking over that confused him. Forced him to ignore that more persistent power, that demanded he forget about them and make his way towards the end. It was telling him that he had earned the right to be there.

Be where? He didn't know this place. Something about it called to him, made him feel so undeniably welcome. But he didn't know it, it wasn't right.

He must have spent hours pouring over the carvings, by now he was more than half-way through it all now. Piers could swear there was a pair of eyes watching him and growing annoyed with his slow progress. But he shrugged it off, he would get to the end soon enough, he wanted first to take his time, fully enjoy this.

Some how he knew he could only walk this way once.

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Mia leaned heavily on Jenna as she stumbled down the hall, Felix following close behind to catch her if she fell. Even with the Djinn it had been almost too much for her to get dressed, and the short walk was draining her more so. Mia didn't know where the others were. According to Jenna and Felix, everyone else was in the city with Hydros and Leon. Lunpa seemed to have sealed himself away in his tower again.

"Here you go, Mia." Jenna said softly as they came to Piers' door, Felix moving in front of them to turn the knob and let them in.

"Thanks." Jenna said as they passed him, he nodded without saying anything and watched as Jenna continued to help the weak Mia to the bed where Piers lay un-moving under the covers. Mia swallowed the lump in her throat as she saw how pale he was, his cheeks hollow and dark circles under his eyes.

"Thank you, Jenna..." Mia managed; voice thick as she tried not to break down again. Her friend settled her down on the edge of the bed before backing away slightly, making sure she was strong enough to keep herself up.

"Are you alright on your own, Mia?" Felix asked quietly from where he stood in the door-way, "Do you want either of us to wait outside in case you need anything?" Mia shook her head, not trusting herself to speak as she clasped Piers' hand. She only half-heard the siblings leave the room, the door clicking shut as their foot steps faded away.

She felt her vision fading a bit again, hating how such a short walk from her cabin to his drained her so badly. Mia lowered herself down next to him on the bed; she placed her head on his shoulder, before moving closer and resting above his heart. Letting the rhythmic pounding sooth her slightly. Not wanting to think about what had happened, so much all at once.

She couldn't take thinking about how, only a few weeks ago, their biggest worry had been where to go next around the world...

Mia fought tears for a short while, then let them fall, allowing them to stain the pale blue shirt he wore. She wrapped one arm around him, careful of her injured shoulder. She closed her tear-filled eyes and listened to his heart beat. Casting all thoughts of it slowing from her mind.

'_I can't loose you now, Piers... Please, come back to me again. Just one last time...'_

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Piers stumbled back in the hall, staring at his hand in shock and horror.

There was blood staining his skin, like he had held his hands over some gaping wound.

Piers glanced between his hand and the Carving he had touched. It showed the same man and woman from every other picture. In this one the woman has bleeding in his arms, a woman made of mists holding the weapon. The man had his hands over the woman's wound, her blood staining them as he tried to help her.

He'd felt it, he couldn't explain it; it was like he'd been there, in that man's place. He had the blood on his hands to prove it. Piers shook his head in denial. He couldn't have been there,

Could he?

He shook his head to dispel the idea. He would surly remember if such an event had ever occurred.

Wouldn't he? Piers wasn't so sure anymore... He could remember nothing from before he'd come here, where had he been? What was here anyways? He tried to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach and continued on.

Tried and failed as he continued on, and saw only the woman crying, weeping, always in some form of pain. Why did this dig at him so? He didn't even know her!

...Right?

He shook his head, no more of this nonsense; he was done with these images. No more of this second-guessing, he turned on his heel and strode confidently down the hall, averting his eyes from the wooden panels.

"_PIERS!"_ He spun at his name, eyes searching the vast space for the source of the cry. He stood frozen for a moment, listening to the echo fade away, he knew that voice. He knew it. He'd heard it so many times before, why couldn't he remember now?

"_No! Piers behind you! Get up! Please, Piers; just get up!"_ Desperation, fear, sorrow, all of it carried through the screams. Piers glanced around wide-eyed, sweat beading on his forehead as he couldn't figure out what was happening. His eyes darting to the wall again, to the last panel.

It was her, the woman,

"_No..._" That voice...

'_Mia, that-that's Mia... Oh god, wh-what's going on?'_ It was her image in the wood. He saw her, blood pouring down her slashed back. A man holding a chain around her neck, and fire racing across it to burn her skin. Another woman holding wires around her ankles to slice through them. Piers couldn't beat back the terror that leapt up in him. The wood, no, it wasn't wood, it was a window, showing him the past. He knew what was coming next.

"_Leave him alone!"_

No, no he couldn't watch this again, not again...

"_PIERS!"_

No... He couldn't tear his eyes from the window, everything taking on its normal color, not the dark shadows of the ebony panels.

"_Piers!" _

Not again, never again... The woman moved so slowly, in her hands was a long bar, a flat disk attached to the end, it glowed menacingly. Piers turned away, he didn't know why or how, but he did. The two beings walking towards him paused for a moment, he hadn't heard them, but he'd known they were there.

"_Piers you can't give up now!"_

The man's robes swept down to his feet, golden locks curled around his head, he beamed like the Sun itself. Sol, the God of the Day. At his right was a woman, her hair, a bright, silver, though not from age, hung unbound around her shoulders. She was dressed in every conceivable shade of blue. Luna, the Goddess of the Night. She smiled at him; they both did, welcoming him, like they were rewarding him for something.

The two who had killed Mia expected him to be _grateful_.

"Come, Piers." the woman spoke, her vice echoing ethereally, with all the grace of the night. She reached one hand out to him, welcoming him.

"No." He said clearly, teeth clenched in anger. No, not after what they'd done. After _everything_ they'd done. Sol blinked,

"No?" He repeated, unsure as he regarded Piers a moment.

"I never wanted this, _any_ of it!" He shouted, he was shaking, waiting on edge to hear her scream, to hear as her life was torn away again. "You and your meaningless Prophecy, my father died because of it, my mother nearly lost the will to live!" He spat, Luna looking surprised at his anger, Sol beginning to seem annoyed. "You've put my family through more pain than we've ever earned! You dragged my friends into this hell-hole for no reason at all! Mia is dead because of you!"

"You are confused, it is understandable, Mercurian. You are still mortal a—"

"And that's how it's going to remain." Piers said sharply, cutting the Goddess of in mid-sentence. Luna blinked at the interruption, his reaction clearly not what either had expected.

"Do you realize what you are doing?" Sol asked him harshly. "You claim to love the mortal Mia. As a God you would know pleasures ten times that which you value in your present state, are you so willing to lose this? That which thousands have tried, and failed, to attain? Is this your choice, Mercurian?"

"Yes. I don't want it, any of it." Piers said, his voice shaking, he was still tense as he prepared to hear Mia's scream at any time, "Take it away, I can't stand it. I don't want anything to do with it. Take away my Psynergy if you have to, just leave me alone..." Luna looked saddened as Piers bent his head, he felt his defenses crumbling. Piers shook violently as he waited for their answer.

"Then go." She said simply, Piers glanced up and saw her looking away from him, one hand gesturing vaguely back the way he had come. "Go back to the mortal realm. There shall be a price to pay for your defiance, Mercurian, but I am sure you are aware of that." Piers glanced over his shoulder nervously, then back at the Beings before him, neither one sparing him a glance now.

He ran, he spun on his heal and ran as fast as he could. Mia was dead, he knew it, and it was killing him. But he'd felt it, she'd been like ice, she'd held no warmth. He didn't care though, there was still the rest of his friends, he could still see his uncle. Banishment was nothing; he just couldn't take walking away from them all.

For power...

'_There will always be power, and there will always be corruption,'_ He didn't know where he'd heard the words before, but he had. The two at the end of the Hall were testament to that. They had tormented three generations of his family for their own amusement. If that was not corruption, then what was?

Piers faltered as he reached the end of the hall, screaming, he fell to the floor, withering in pain as he felt afire. Unable to figure out what was attacking him, he felt something being torn inside of him. There was an instant release though, and he climbed to his feet, coughing violently, the sound of paper fluttering filled the air.

Piers glanced back in time to see Luna reach out, and caught the bloody parchment, under the slick layers of red it shone with a dull golden light. He watched as Luna took hold of it, and had it vanish into the sleeves of her billowing robes.

"You are free to go, Mercurian." She said simply. "You blood-line shall never have a chance for such power again. The seal placed in your Ancestor's blood has been removed. You have lost all claims to the rank of God." Piers faced the both of them, a bit unsteady as he tried to recover from the pain. He understood her though, and nodded in acknowledgement.

He didn't spare the Hall one last look, as he stepped through the arch-way at the end. Returning to life he wanted. Returning to a life of pain.

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Mia gave a start; she blinked away film over her eyes as she tried to remember what was happening. That she'd fallen asleep was obvious, what had woken her up; wasn't so.

She glanced around the small cabin a moment, before dismissing it as being one of the Djinn knocking something over. She placed her hand over Piers' heart, almost to convince herself that he was still alive. She felt tears pricking her eyes as she felt it still beating rhythmically. For now.

Mia gently moved to place her head back down on his chest, when she felt a flare of power inside him. Piers tensed for a moment, waking Mia up completely now as he cringed in pain. Worry pushed through everything else she was feeling, and Mia reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face against him.

Mia gave a small gasp as he began to shimmer, slowly becoming enveloped in a soft golden light. She had to let go of him, the light coming through her eye-lids even as she squeezed her eyes shut. She shielded her eyes with her arms, she was only barely conscious of it fading away, leaving a bright after-image as she opened her eyes again.

She looked over him expectantly, hoping to see him give any sign that he had come back to her.

'_What if he just—?'_ She smothered the thought, not willing to believe he hadn't been able to return. But then again, to be a God, Immortal, Powerful. Who would give that up? Just for a woman? Just for her?

Mia felt that same sadness welling up again; and she wrapped her arms around herself where she knelt on the bed. She could hope, she could wish, but, would Piers really come back if he was offered all that?

"Mia?" Her head snapped up at her name, she stared, her blue eyes over-flowing with tears, as she saw his half-lidded golden ones looking out at her. "Is that you?" He asked, his voice was hoarse, but it was still his own.

Suddenly he looked so different, or rather the same. His skin instantly regaining its normal color, no longer making him appear sickly and his eyes seemed to shine brightly again, like they had since the day she'd met him.

Mia fell against him in pure relief, her fingers gripping the front of his shirt as she sobbed against him,

"Stop doing that!" She cried, burying her face against him, his arms closed around her instantly. He held her so gently though, as if she were a porcelain doll that would shatter. "Stop scaring me like that, Piers. Just stop it. Don't die and come back just so you can die again. It hurts too much when you do that..." She sobbed, Piers rocking her back and forth gently.

"Then we have an agreement." He said, sounding chocked, tightening his grip on her. "Neither one of us is aloud to almost die and then come back." Mia felt him shaking slightly, she just held on tighter, her sobs only just beginning to weaken as she felt his strong arms around her. "I saw you die, Mia..." He said hoarsely, placing kisses in her hair. "I heard you scream, and I saw you fall. I swear; a part of me died when I saw that..." Mia moved her arms back up around his neck, pulling herself up again so that she could place her head against his neck.

"I love you, Piers, and I'm not going to leave you again." She whispered.

"I need you in my life, Mia." He said softly, placing soft kisses along her cheek, searching for her mouth, "There's no point without you here." she turned her face against his, both of them savoring the other in their first real kiss.

Mia felt a slight tingle as his tongue rubbed up against her lips, wanting to be let in. She couldn't deny him; she felt the warmth of his tongue as it slid past her own. He raised one hand up to her face, as if to brush the hair from her face. His fingers brushed across the bandage on her cheek though, and she felt him pause briefly.

Piers waited a moment, before he slid on arm behind her, feeling the bandages on her back as well. He pulled back from her, still keeping her in the circle of his arms as he regarded her with his soft golden eyes.

"Does it hurt at all?" He asked softly, Mia shook her head slightly as she felt a flare of psynergy inside of him. Dimly, she tried to remember the last time it had been simple psynergy that he'd used; she didn't like how far away it seemed. Mia relaxed against him again as she felt him heal her. She couldn't tell why it seemed to work better than the other's attempts.

It didn't matter though, not now, she was a bit more interested in what they were doing than in the others.

Piers kissed her on the lips again, then moved from her mouth across to her cheek, following the shape of her face down her jaw bone. Mia leaned back onto the bed, letting him move himself over her. Piers ran one hand through her hair as he nuzzled against her throat affectionately before rising again to just kiss her. She was happy enough with just that, just being near him and having their first real moment.

Mia broke the kiss this time, turning her head away, eyes closed as she smiled contently, savoring the feel of him over her, feeling his hands running across her. She opened her eyes lazily and—

"Oh shit."

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Piers' head shot up, since when did Mia swear? Had he done something—

"_Some body's_ feeling better."

"_Piers_, I don't think your hands are supposed to be up there." Spring commented dryly.

Of course, Piers then almost forgot about Mia, and she in turn nearly forgot about him, as both of them were a _BIT_ more preoccupied with explaining this, _compromising_, position to the nearly twenty mercury Djinn crowded around the bed for a peek, golden eyes staring at them both over the edge of the covers.

This was of course made all the more memorable, the mood more thoroughly shattered, as the door swung open to admit Garet, Isaac, and Ivan.

'_Oh gods this isn't fair...'_ Piers thought miserably as Isaac's eyes grew three sizes. Garet abruptly shoved Ivan out the door, the Jupiter-Adept not taking this to well as he shouted something about Sheba being right. Piers then watched as Garet carted the stunned-speechless Isaac out of the room, firmly slamming the door behind him and muttering about Jenna... with a burning chain?

Piers didn't wanna know.

"Damn it..." Piers groaned, taking the Djinn who were still in the room, and the red in Mia's cheeks as a few good signs that he should get off her. Rolling over and onto his back, Piers and Mia both shot the Djinn threatening glares.

After a few minutes the all seemed to get bored, realizing nothing was happening; that Piers had mixed emotions about. As the Djinn all took their leave, Piers clasped Mia's hand and he closed his eyes again, rolling onto his side to stay near her. Mia edging closer to rest her head against him. Maybe they could keep this development in their relationship to themselves for a while.

"YOU WALKED IN AND THEY WERE _WHAT?_"

Then again, maybe not.

They lay like that for a long while. Piers shifted slightly as he realized Mia had fallen asleep. He smiled and ran his fingers through her hair, glancing up as there was a tap at the door.

"Yes?" He answered, trying not to wake Mia as he looked over her head. Piers tried to sit up as his Uncle poked his head in through the door.

"May I come in?" He asked softly. Piers smiled.

"Of course. She's sleeping though." Leon carefully entered, closing the door behind him quietly. "Is something wrong, uncle?" Piers asked, noticing how worn his uncle looked; the other man shook his head.

"No, of course not it's just that..." He glanced up, his golden eyes haunted. "I almost lost you again, Piers, no one can say you have a safe life." Pier nodded solemnly.

"Even a simple trip home has proved to be one of the most dangerous things I've ever done..." Piers replied quietly, he held Mia a bit closer, "I defied the Gods, I saw Sol and Luna and I cursed them... I was in danger of just dying before, now I must worry about damnation..." Leon walked over to the bed and placed one hand on his nephew's shoulder.

"Do not worry about that now, Piers, you and Mia are both safe." He said reassuringly. Piers nodded, resisting the urge to bury his face against Mia's soft hair. Wanting to wait until his uncle had left before moving against her like that again. Piers glanced back up and noticed the confused look in his uncle's eyes.

"Is something wrong?" He asked again, his uncle paused for a moment, his eyes slipped shut and his hand on Piers' shoulder tightened its hold on him.

"Are you... feeling alright?" His uncle asked cautiously, Piers blinked at the question, thinking for a moment before answering.

"I feel a bit drained from what happened, but other than that I feel fine." He replied, watching as his uncle's brow furrowed. "What is it?" He asked. Leon gripped Pier's chin slightly, the elder Lemurian bending over the bed to look into his eyes.

"You feel... different..." Leon muttered, "Your aura, it's... changed somehow. It feels more like what one would feel from some one born outside the walls, instead of inside like you..." He mulled over this for a moment as Piers blinked a few times, confused. His uncle shook his head quickly, "It-it's nothing." he said, glancing back at Piers, a small smile creeping over his features.

A real smile Piers realized, not one of those forced one's his uncle had been sporting for so long. He was relieved to see the change. His uncle bent over again to clasp his shoulder.

"Rest, you're both safe now. I should have known better than to disturb the two of you." Piers smiled over at him,

"I don't mind, Uncle." He said tiredly, "I'll take care of myself if you promise to do the same." Piers settled back against the covers on the bed, feeling drained as the other man turned and left the room quietly. Piers waited until he heard the door click shut before he buried his face in Mia's soft hair. His uncle's words bringing something less comforting to mind.

'_There will be a price for your defiance, Mercurian, but I am sure you are aware of that.'_ Luna's voice echoed in his head as he thought over what his uncle had said,

'_Your aura it's... changed somehow. It feels more like what one would feel from some one born outside the walls, instead of inside, like you...'_ Piers bit his lip, it not taking very long for him to realize the price he was paying.

He'd already been cut off from the fountain, that shortening his life by many years. Now he knew that, like it had been written on the Banishment,

He was no longer Lemurian...

Piers shook his head slightly, feeling Mia shift against him. He focused on the warmth coming off her, smiling as he felt her burying herself against him. His smile didn't waver as he felt sleep pulling at him, his body wishing for a quick rest. Piers placed a soft kiss on Mia's head as he relaxed completely against the warmth of the bed.

Banishment was nothing, just as his shortened life.

It was all okay as long as she was by his side.

_**Fin.**_

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	20. For the End is Near XalternateX

**This chapter is an alternate, and actually much-preferred ending for Hidden Currents. The inspiration for the latter half of this chapter comes from Garth Nix's Sabriel series. Although it is advised that you read the original ending in chapter 19 first, as this alteration actually begins mid-way through last chapter. I don't really want to apologize for the length, since I'm happier with this ending anyways. Thank you very much for taking the time to read, and hopefully review, my first multi-chapter story.**

* * *

**Chapter 20**

For the End is Near

(Angst)

_He ran, he spun on his heal and ran as fast as he could. Mia was dead, he knew it, and it was killing him. But he'd felt it, she'd been like ice, she'd held no warmth. Piers knew he couldn't go on knowing that. He couldn't be happy, even with the rest of his friends, knowing she was dead. And it was impossible for him to imagine waiting for the rest of eternity as a God, never to be with her again._

_He didn't spare the Hall one last look, as he stepped through the arch-way at the end. Returning to life he wanted._ _Returning too accept death with her._

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Piers felt a sudden weight all around him, holding his limbs down as he returned to his body. It was weak and ravenged by the powers he had never wanted too possess...

He thought he felt something shift next to him, but he couldn't tell, his senses defeated by his ordeals. He wasn't even able to open his eyes to see where he was.

'_I don't want to know who it is.'_ He thought numbly, _'I just want to be with Mia again...'_

He felt his life draining away, like water running through his fingers. He couldn't have kept it in if he had wanted; he had said he was willing to do anything to get away from that power. He knew he was paying the price with his life. But… that was what he wanted, wasn't it? To be with Mia again; even if it meant death?

Piers was slightly comforted by the idea, the knowledge that the suffering was truly at an end. He was sad for his friends though, but he knew their lives would be fulfilling in their own ways. Yes, it was slipping away, his life. This time he accepted it, this time he wanted it, he was ready for it. He was ready for whatever would mean he could be with Mia again.

"P-Piers?" He felt a warm hand over his own, the voice barely registering in his mind. But when it did, he couldn't take the pain it brought.

"Piers, no, no please don't leave me again... Piers, please..."

'_Mia…?'_ He thought numbly, the peace that had surrounded him breaking. _'Why are you here? I saw you... I _**FELT**_ you...You… you died in my arms. How...?' _

"No, Piers, please, come back, come back to me!" She was sobbing, her voice being lost as he could only hear his heart slowing, still pounding weakly in his ears.

'_No, this isn't what was supposed to happen... No, Mia, no, I can't go yet!'_ He would have cried, he would have wept as he fought it, that earlier calm had vanished. The price, this was the price, he would die, whether he wanted it or not... _'No...'_

Even as he lost feeling in his limbs, he felt her warmth over him. Sensed her tears as they fell, he was aware of something soft against his lips, and he tried to reach out to her again.

Tried, and had his life slip away a mere moment to soon...

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"Piers?" Mia asked, tears brimming in her soft eyes, "Piers, please..." She reached up with one hand, realizing she was shaking. She laid her palm against his cheek, tears spilling down as she felt him slipping away. "Piers, no, **_Piers!_**" She cried, pain welling up inside as she tried to reach her psynergy. Only to find she was too weak as he continued to fade.

"No!" She sobbed, trying to summon Ply, but Mia couldn't find the power to bring him back. "Piers, no! Please no, don't leave me like this!" She shouted, tears blurring her vision as she felt him going cold. Pain, more than she had felt at any other point in her life surged up. No. He couldn't be dead. Not Piers. Not now. Not after everything, not now that they were finally free... She couldn't take the thought, she just couldn't. Mia scrambled back. She had to get help. She just wasn't strong enough to heal.

"FELIX! JENNA!" She screamed as she fell off the bed, she hardly noticed as her wounds tore open, her blood beginning to seep through the bandages. She scrambled to the door, her mind spinning as she pounded on it franticly. Mia fell forwards as the door sung open unexpectedly, Jenna instantly wrapped her arms around her,

"ISAAC!" Felix shouted, coming out of nowhere as he sped into the small room, the other Venus-Adept only a few paces behind.

"No..." Mia said weakly, her exhausted mind just barely picking up on Jenna's presence. Not even enough for her to realize that the other Adept was leading her away, back up to the main cabin.

"No, Piers..."

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All of the warmth cut out it seemed, and Piers stared out blankly into the dull grey mists that had surrounded him.

"Mia!" He shouted, his voice swallowed by the fog. A dull light shone through the clouds blanketing the surroundings, Piers knew it was the one way back into life. He tried to move towards it, one hand out-stretched to try and reach out again.

There was water around him, he realized, like he was standing in the middle of a river. It chilled him to the bone, even though the water only reached up to his ankles. But as he struggled to gain even a few feet, the currents pulled at him, the waters suddenly rising to his knees. Piers lost his footing as the current slammed into him, eddies curling around his legs and forcing him back.

He fell to his knees, his shoulders nearly submerged. Piers clawed at the bottom, trying to find some kind of hold, trying to get back on his feet. His hands met nothing but mud and grime, the currents pushing him back the harder he tried to fight it. The cold of the water was only making it more difficult to breathe.

The waters receded, but Piers had barely a moment to re-claim his feet, before another icy wave brought the stagnant water up over his head.

'_No!'_ He thought franticly, flailing his arms around in a panic. He knew it was futile, but he had to try. This was his element, but coupled with the cold, and his fear and anxiety, he was helpless against it.

Somehow, his hands found something, a jagged tree limb, stuck fast in the mud. Where it had come from Piers couldn't have guessed, but it was there now, and it held as he latched onto it against the current. The filthy water surged over his head again, covering him in grime, the waters retreating back down slightly. But they never moved past his lower half, never gave him any real time to rest. He still hung on though, knowing he would fall eventually, knowing he couldn't fight forever.

'_Mia, no...' _He felt the icy waters pulling at the remainder of his warmth, Piers knowing for a fact that there was no going back now that his soul held no more life.

Off to the side, in the distance, there was a shift in the mists as though there was something unseen coming through. Piers had no idea what it was, an odd silky light emanating through the fog. It took a few minutes, Piers wasn't sure if that was an accurate guess though, but a figure seemed to appear, coming closer. A woman.

Raven hair hung down her back, framing a pale flawless face. A slender, almost delicate sword hung at her belt, the hem of her silky robes trailed in the waters. The currents didn't seem to affect her, as she strode to where he still remained on his knees. Onyx eyes regarded him indifferently, looking over his disheveled state calmly. The long sleeves of her robes came down near the tips of her fingers, shadowing her slender arms.

She seemed to think for a moment. Ebony eyes moving slowly, from where he hung, up to where the light was fading, his gateway to life closing, down to the small paper in one fine hand.

"Your time is up." She said, her voice holding no emotion, pale fingers toying with the sword at her hip.

"But-" Piers choked, almost being swept away as another wave rammed into his shivering form. "Please..." One fine, jet, eye brow cocked up slightly, a small spark of interest flickering in her eyes.

"Your life has ended. Your gateway is closed. All that is left to you now is Death." She said coldly, glancing again to the small slip held in her graceful fingers. "Or do you wish to challenge the word of the Gods once more?"

'_I'd follow you, I know I would.'_ Her voice echoed in his mind, Mia's promise. He didn't want her to follow him, he really didn't. Piers wanted her to hold onto her life, to live it and be happy. But… there was still another part of him, a selfish, greedy part, that wanted to hold her above all else.

"No, but-" The icy waters rose up again, remaining over him longer, before they dropped down once more, and leaving him winded and oddly drained. The woman remained as pristine as ever though, standing over him in silence. "Please, I will, but first-"

"Do you believe you can bargain for your fate?" She asked, that interest suddenly flickering out.

"No..." He replied, spiting out some of the rancid water that had entered his mouth. "No, please, I just... I just want her to be here..." He was numb, that icy water draining him of strength, of his own color…

There was a pause, and Piers saw the wave coming this time. Though his vision only reached a few feet ahead of the woman. He took a deep breath, not willing to give into the persistent ache growing in his arms.

Piers looked up in time to see the woman's eyes go wide, just as the wave reached them both. A shock wave emulated from her, forming a shield from the water, keeping it from him this time. Piers was able to look to either side and see the grey water speeding past, for a brief moment he almost thought he saw some one float by, being carried gently by the currents.

"Go on." Piers gave a start and saw the Deity still watching him, her face remaining totally blank as she beckoned him to continue speaking.

"I-I don't want to die..." He stuttered, her eyes narrowed slightly, and Piers hurried to make himself clear "But-but I know I have to now, that there's no going back." He swallowed as another wave was blocked, though there was still a large amount of water around him, still trying to drag him away. "Please, I'll go, but, but I want Mia to be here... I couldn't die with her; at least let us pass through as one..." the woman stood stock still for a moment; Piers noticed her fiddling with the small paper in her hand.

Yet another wave came at them, Piers shut his eyes to block out the spray that shot out at him. He couldn't wipe it away as he forced his eyes open again; he looked around for the woman only to find that she had vanished. In her place, the fine sword she had worn was held straight up, blade first in the mud. The weapon did not act like a barricade against the water, and Piers once more had to fight the insistant pull of the icy currents.

'_For the moment, I shall allow this infraction.' _He heard, her cold voice speaking in his mind. _'Do as you will, your way back is blocked, you shall never again walk among the living. See if you can withstand Death's pull until your love arrives. I shall do nothing if you prove unfit for this test.'_ Piers bent his head in submission, weathering through another wave. He gritted his teeth as he fought to stay strong.

Maybe, in the end, it would all be worth it.

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It took hours.

Hours and hours, before they finally gave up.

Mia sat in the corner of the main cabin, cerulean eyes unseeing, as the others were constantly making their way in and out of the room. She kept her head bent down, just staring at her clasped hands, resting neatly in her lap. Sheba and Jenna took turns trying to comfort her, Jenna often having to leave to try and help, Sheba because she was in need of comfort herself.

Some time in the chaos Leon, Hydros, and Lunpa appeared. The Lemurians simply vanishing down-stairs too try and help. Lunpa remained upstairs though, helping to try and comfort Mia and the rest. Everyone seemed to help everyone else, as they kept trying to revive Piers. But Mia was unresponsive as she awaited what was coming next.

It still came all too soon. Felix and Isaac came up, both looking far older than eighteen and nineteen. They looked worn from spending their powers over and over again, eyes drawn and cheeks hollow as if they too were in need of healing. Despite how calm she had appeared, or perhaps, traumatized, Mia couldn't stop the tears from coming as she heard two simple words.

'_He's gone.' _

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"...Mia?"

"Yes, Megan?"

"Mia, we're worried..."

"About what?" Justin danced from foot to foot as he looked around the small room in Mia's home. There was nothing out of the ordinary in the Healer's house, though a few items from her travels now decorated the small space. Among the herbs and dried plants that had always adorned Mia's home, old armor, and small trinkets from around the world now also hung up on the walls.

"Mia it... It's been a year. Are you sure you're alright?" He asked; Mia paused for a moment, glancing at the two from where she was standing near the small window. She glanced back out at the storm that had blown up around Imil.

Alright? She hadn't been alright in a long time. Mia had seen the symptoms herself once Piers had died, morbid thoughts and a lack-luster spirit, the most noticeable changes. She had begun sealing herself off from the others, oddly, not caring as she saw how she hurt them with this. In the end she had hardly spoken, only managing a few short good-byes as she had been brought back to Imil, unable to stand remaining on his ship anymore, and unwilling to live in Vale.

"I'm fine, you two." She said softly, "Why don't you both go, and spend some time outside, or tend the Sanctum?" She suggested; her voice still very quiet. She heard the two children murmur their good-byes and leave. Knowing there was little more she would say to them.

Mia waited a few minutes, standing there unmoving in the dim light. Only two candles in the center of the small room giving off any light.

_The air stank in the small home, the place reeking with the sour stench of liquor and filth. He'd given up. Plain and simple, he'd given up._

_Mia sat on a small chair in the main room, a table near one window holding many bottles of different sizes and colors. This city had many fine drinks, that being made more obvious by the moment._

Mia walked over to the small stove, placing a few small logs on the fire to build up some heat. Before walking over and filling a small kettle with water.

"_Wish ye didn' have te see me like this..." He muttered drunkenly, sounding sick as he stumbled slightly back to his chair, his foot knocking against a few discarded bottles on the floor. "Bu' there's nothin' left... Nothin' t'all..." Mia nodded, averting her eyes slightly. _

Mia looked up as the kettle whistled from the escaping steam, removing it from the metal panel and placing it on the cutting board. She moved mechanically to where the cups were kept, bringing out a smaller ceramic one, a souvenir from Xian. Something called Porcelain.

"_Gods... 'M pathetic..." He said with a hint of self-loathing, "Can' take a pain withou' gettin' drunk..." She glanced back at him as he took a deep drink from the bottle he had picked out. He was unshaved and filthy, and Mia doubted he had been eating._

"_He was the last member of your family." She said softy, her voice lacking any kind of emotion. He nodded at her statement._

Mia opened one of the small cupboards, reaching in and searching the spices. Her dead eyes were only half-reading the labels as she chose one.

"_We're alike..." he said, his words slurred in a way that would cause people to doubt his mental well-being. "But so different..." he paused to take another drink, coughing slightly and causing a small bit of the rum to dribble down his chin. "I take me drinks and kill my body..." He muttered, before pointing one shaking finger at her, his head flopping to one side as he tried to get a better look at her. "You go all the way and defeat yer mind..." _

Mia carefully began spooning some small shredded leaves into the steaming water, slowly stirring it until it grew to a deep brown color. Dark enough that she could see her own reflection, and smell the bitterness of the drink, something to help calm her nerves.

"_You'll be with him soon." Mia whispered as she stood. The Healer placed one hand on the distraught man's shoulder as she passed by. _

"_You remind me so much of Fiona..." He whispered, she paused a moment, her fingers feeling the softness of his Lemurian garb. "Or... was it Alice?" Mia closed her eyes as she continued past him and out the door, out into the crisp autumn night, allowing her feet to take her to the grave-yard. _

_She could not remain with a man who could no longer recall his own sister's name._

Mia raised the fine cup to her lips, hardly noticing the coppery taste of the tea, it far stronger than it should have been.

_Her footsteps echoed slightly through down the cobble-stone streets, banner's still hanging from windows, swaying gently in the chill winds. No one was out this late, and few knew of the death as Hydros was unsure of whether or not to announce it to the city. Lunpa looked as if he truly would not leave his tower again, and, for once, Conservato wasn't rubbing this in Hydros's face. _

She stepped into her room, careful not to spill her drink as she moved through the dim light. Mia paused as she passed the dresser, a small toy sitting below the mirror in the shape of a Mercury Djinni. The stitching was messy, but finer in some places where the seams must have torn and re-sown. The Djinni's eyes were two polished yellow rocks, with a fabric lip that tightened around them to keep the stones in place. The name Sally was awkwardly stitched into the tail.

_Conservato had been oddly quiet when the King had addressed the Senate with the death. And she had heard talk that he had gone straight to his daughter's home in the city. Mia and the others hadn't been aware that Conservato held any family connections. But she chose to push the old politician from her mind as she came to the arch that led to the cemetery. _

Mia felt a bit drowsy as she sat down on her bed, taking another swallow of tea as she felt her eyes drifting shut without her control.

_There was only a hand-full of tomb-stones in the small, quaint part of the city, the monuments each set in orderly rows._

_Her moves were slow, and some-what graceful as she walked along the rows, remembering faintly, the small, private ceremony that had taken place just that afternoon. Guards had been posted at the entrance to the ceremony, to prevent anyone from wandering in while they were there._

_Everyone had worn their best armor and weapons to the ceremony, feeling obligated to honor him in some way. Prayers had been uttered, hoping for his safe passage, asking for his peace_. _Other then that there had been almost no talking; no one had had the heart to give a eulogy, perhaps they hadn't wanted to say something that would truly mean he was gone..._

_Not even King Hydros had left with dry eyes._

Mia placed her cup down on the small table near the side of the bed, feeling the herbs she had mixed in taking effect, but working much faster than they should have.

_There he was._

_The ever-present fogs parted slightly, revealing a fresh grave near the far end of the Cemetery. Everyone had been greatly distressed at the lack of flowers. Even in this warm part of the world, autumn had already claimed most of the fine blossoms. They had had made do with what they could find or make, in most cases improvising. There were many shells along Lemuria's beaches, large and very beautiful. As a group they had scoured the coast line searching for the brighter ones, placing them in front of the tomb-stone. _

She closed her eyes as she lay flat on the bed, feeling slightly at peace as she drifted to sleep, not noticing how heavy her limbs felt, how hard breathing became.

_Mia walked around the tomb-stone slowly, running her fingers along the name inscribed on the front. She came to a pause as she reached the back, her eyes drifting back to the city, her ears picking up the distant sounds of shouting from within the walls. The fog seemed thicker near the tops of the houses, a particularly large cloud glowing with an angry, crimson, light._

_Fire..._

Mia's memories became dreams as she slept, and in her dreams she could see the charred remains of Leon's home. Could gaze upon the skeletal remains found inside, blackened by the intensity of the fire. And again, Mia could hear her own voice, telling him that he would be with his kin soon.

_So, soon…_

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"Sir?"

"Yes?"

"Is everything alright? You... You haven't said anything,"

"Yes... ev… everything is... just fine. Thank you for delivering this, Imil is... a long ways off."

"Oh, ah... if there is anything you would like sent back sir? I would be pleased to see it there safely."

"Yes, thank you." Felix didn't look up from the letter in his hands, the messenger, still travel-worn taking this as a dismissal, and leading himself towards the Valean Inn.

"What is it, Felix?" Jenna asked, her brother still not looking up, waiting a moment before replying.

"Mia's dead." He said quietly, the activity around him stopped, and the Adept looked up into the questioning eyes of his friends.

"What?" Garet muttered, breathing a bit hard from carrying lumber all day, Isaac not asking as he simply snatched the letter from the other Venus-Adept. Cornflower eyes scanning Megan's neat writing, his expression disbelieving as he read through it again.

"When?" Sheba asked, her voice sounding choked, "What happened?" Felix just shook his head,

"According to Justin and Megan, Mia wasn't completely aware of what was going on around her, just like when we left her there." He said quietly, "She wasn't needed in Imil like she was before, Hermes Water keeping everyone fit and healthy, and Mercury Lighthouse fired, no longer in need of guarding." Felix paused for a moment as Kay and Aaron came over, Garet's siblings with the same fiery hair, eyes, and attitude, if lacking in the areas of brute strength.

"What's wrong, Garet?" Kay asked, looking at her brother questioningly, her carrot red hair tied back behind her head as she was covered with cloth fibers, the smaller child, Aaron mimicking his sister both with the look she gave and with his appearance. They both seemed concerned as he didn't meet her eyes or respond.

"She knew what she was doing." Isaac said calmly, his eyes getting that same look they had atop Mars Lighthouse, when they'd learned of the Wise-One's last test. Hard, firm, but breaking up inside.

"Isaac..." Jenna let the words drop,

"Mia wouldn't poison herself by accident, Jenna." The other adept replied, glancing back down at the letter, ignoring Kay's shocked look, Ivan nodded though,

"She loved him; she was as good as dead without him. Maybe this way, they can both be happy, like they never had a chance to." Felix bent his head,

"Hopefully, they'll be together, I wouldn't put it past Piers to have waited for her this whole time. He could be stubborn when he wanted to be."

There was a mutual moment of silence, the bustle of the half-built Vale fading in their minds. Each one was paying their silent tribute to their friends who were together at last.

_**Fin**_

**----------------------------------------------------------------**

**Title: Hidden Currents.**

**Genres: Romance, Drama.**

**Main characters: Mia, and Piers. **

**Length: 19 official chapters + 1 Alternate Ending. Total ****67,547** **words in length.**

**Review Count: 88**

**Inspirational Songs: Say Anything- Good Charlotte, Emotionless- Good Charlotte, My Immortal- Evanescence, Missing- Evanescence, Half Pain- Taku Iwasaki (Witch Hunter Robin OST), Kyrie- Taku Iwasaki (Witch Hunter Robin OST)**

**Published: May 14th, 2004**

**Completed: September 18th, 2004**

**Edit/Rewrite Completion date: November 14th, 2006**


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